Chapter 4
The cinematic, golden light of the chandeliers seemed to sharpen and focus entirely on the space beside the towering Christmas tree. Audrey backed away slightly as Brielle approached, her hands gripping the two halves of the torn photograph so tightly her fingers ached. She wanted to turn and run, but she was trapped in the luminous, crowded reception, surrounded by fifty dangerous guests.
Brielle stopped directly in front of the housemaid. She positioned herself carefully, ensuring the angle of her body shielded her harsh expression from the main room. She maintained her polished public expression, but her eyes burned with a malicious, possessive fury.
"You look absolutely pathetic, Audrey," Brielle whispered, her voice dropping into a quiet, venomous register meant only for the terrified girl. "Your uniform is a disgrace to this estate."
"I am sorry, Miss Shaw," Audrey choked out, refusing to meet the woman's cold eyes, keeping her gaze fixed firmly on the velvet fabric of Brielle's gown.
"I told you to throw that trash into the fire," Brielle continued, her tone light and conversational, masking the brutal intent beneath her words. She took a step closer, her intoxicating perfume entirely failing to mask the rot of her soul.
"I couldn't," Audrey whispered, her voice shaking with a quiet, undeniable defiance. "It belongs to Mr. Ashford. It belongs to Noah."
"Nothing in this house belongs to a dead woman anymore," Brielle hissed, her American accent dripping with condescending superiority. "I am the future of this family. I am erasing the clutter. Now give me the pieces."
"No," Audrey said, taking another step back, pressing her legs against the lower branches of the Christmas tree.
Brielle’s polished facade cracked for a microscopic second. She extended an impatient, manicured hand directly toward the torn photograph clutched in Audrey's trembling fingers.
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"You are a servant," Brielle commanded quietly, the venom in her voice absolute. "Burn that one too. Or I will have my men burn it for you, and then they will drag you out into the snow and teach you respect."
Audrey’s chest heaved rapidly beneath the fitted black fabric of her creased dress. She looked down at Noah, who was watching the exchange with wide, confused eyes. She knew the woman standing above her was a monster. She knew that defying a direct order from the boss's fiancée was an insult that could cost her life, but the thought of erasing the last visual memory a boy had of his mother was a sin she refused to commit.
