Chapter 1 - The Marble and the Chain
“Go on. Bark like a dog.”
Claire’s voice was laced with a smooth, mocking cruelness that echoed off the high, cream-and-gold walls of the Carrington estate’s main living room. Her manicured hand gripped the end of a cold metal chain, yanking it forward. Six-year-old Lily crawled reluctantly across the polished marble floor, her small, barefoot frame trembling as tears streamed down her rosy cheeks. The loose metal collar around her neck clanked against the stone, its heavy link pulling at her soft golden curls as she reached frantically with both hands, trying to loosen the cold band.
Beside the grand marble fireplace, Damon—Ethan’s younger brother—leaned casually against the mantelpiece. He raised a glass of amber scotch to his lips, letting out a dark, amused laugh as he watched his niece sob on the floor.
Lily’s huge blue eyes welled with fresh tears as she looked up at her stepmother. Her pale-blue dress dragged through the dust, her fingers slipping against the slick marble as Claire gave another harsh tug on the metal lead.
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“Please, Claire...” Lily choked out through her sobs, her voice tiny and terrified.
Before Claire could utter another taunt, the grand double oak doors at the entrance of the living room bursted open with a deafening crash, bouncing hard off the decorative wood paneling.
