Chapter 4
Lisette’s eyes widened in absolute terror. The reality of her situation was finally crashing down upon her. The meticulous plan she had crafted—to eliminate the heir to the Whitmore empire and secure her position as the sole inheritor of Damon's vast wealth—had unraveled in a matter of seconds. And it was all because of a housemaid who had paid entirely too much attention.
“It was a joke!” Lisette cried out, her voice cracking as she desperately tried to backpedal. “I was playing a game with him, Damon! I didn't know there was glass in there! I thought it was spun sugar from the pastry chef! You have to believe me!”
Damon adjusted his signet ring, the heavy gold catching the warm light of the chandeliers. He walked slowly around the front of his mahogany table, his tailored dark suit moving seamlessly over his powerful shoulders. Every step he took toward her was measured and deliberate, a predator cornering its prey.
“Do you expect me to value the pathetic excuses of a cornered liar over the testimony of my own son? Do you truly believe my wealth and resources cannot uncover the truth of your actions by tomorrow morning?”
Lisette backed away, her expensive heels clicking frantically against the hardwood floor until her spine hit the ivory wall panels. “You are letting a child and a maid destroy our future! We are supposed to be married, Damon! I gave you my loyalty!”
Evelyn, sensing the imminent explosion of violence, leaned down and whispered softly into Alfie’s ear. “Come with me, Alfie. Let’s go to the kitchen and find some real dessert, okay?”
Alfie looked up at Evelyn, his fair, rosy cheeks pale with anxiety. He nodded quickly, slipping out of his champagne velvet chair. Evelyn took his small hand, keeping her own body positioned securely between the young boy and the frantic woman against the wall.
Damon watched Evelyn orchestrate the child's exit. He gave the housemaid a barely perceptible nod of approval.
“Will you take him to my private study on the second floor, Evelyn? Will you remain with him and ensure the door is locked from the inside until I arrive?”
“Yes, Mr. Whitmore,” Evelyn replied instantly. She did not look back at Lisette as she guided the boy out of the grand dining hall, the heavy oak doors closing with a definitive thud behind them.
Now completely alone with the woman who had tried to murder his child, the air around Damon grew ten degrees colder. He unbuttoned the jacket of his tailored suit, pushing the fabric back to rest his heavily tattooed hands on his hips. The refined ink across his fingers looked like dark armor.
Lisette was hyperventilating, her chest heaving beneath her sculpted satin gown. “Damon, please. You have to listen to me. Alfie is difficult! He demands all your attention! I just wanted us to have a life together, without the constant reminder of your past!”
Damon tilted his head, his high-bridged nose casting a sharp shadow over his face. His cold, observant eyes were entirely devoid of human empathy.
“Is the murder of a seven-year-old boy your definition of building a life together, Lisette? Did you mistake my silence for weakness when you plotted to tear my family apart?”
“I did it for you!” she screamed, her pristine facade completely shattered. “You need a strong woman by your side! A partner! Not a dependent child who ties you down!”
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Damon took one final step forward, invading her personal space entirely. His deep, quiet voice vibrated with a terrifying, apocalyptic fury that shook the very air in the room.
“Who gave you the ungodly audacity to make decisions regarding my son's life? Did you truly believe your presence in my bed made you immune to my justice?”
