Chapter 7
The silence in the dining room stretched until it felt like a physical weight pressing down on everyone’s chests. The bright, cinematic lighting illuminated the standoff with terrifying clarity. Heloise stood with her chin raised high, a smug, untouchable smile painted across her fair face. She genuinely believed she had checkmated him. She believed that a man of his immense wealth and status would never sacrifice his empire for a single child.
She had profoundly, catastrophically misunderstood the man she married.
Aldric did not blink. He did not look around at the expensive artwork, the crystal chandeliers, or the sprawling estate that she had just threatened to take from him. He only looked at her.
Very carefully, Aldric turned sideways. He set Thora down gently on the floor, keeping her safely tucked behind his legs. He placed a reassuring hand on her head for a fraction of a second, a silent promise that the nightmare was ending.
Then, Aldric slowly walked over to Heloise.
His polished shoes made no sound on the rug. The sheer, overwhelming masculinity and power radiating from him forced Heloise to take an involuntary half-step backward, her confident smile faltering slightly.
"Aldric?" Heloise asked, her voice hitching. "What are you—"
She didn't get to finish the sentence.
Aldric planted his feet, pulled his right arm back, and punched her squarely in the face.
The impact was a devastating, sickening crack of bone and cartilage. The sheer physical force of the blow lifted Heloise entirely off her feet. She flew backward through the air, her elegant gown twisting around her legs, and crashed hard onto the polished hardwood floor. She slid several feet before slamming into the base of a mahogany sideboard.
Screams erupted around the table. Several guests leapt from their chairs, backing away in pure, unadulterated terror. The favored cousin, Clara, shrieked and hid under the table.
Heloise lay on the floor, completely stunned. Blood poured from her shattered nose, staining the pristine white silk of her designer dress. She gasped for air, her hands flying to her ruined face as she stared up at her husband in absolute, paralyzed shock.
Aldric stood over her, his fists clenched at his sides, his chest heaving with restrained violence. The cold, calculated businessman was gone; the enraged, protective father had taken total control.
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"You think I care about a house?" Aldric asked, looking down at Heloise. He spoke through clenched teeth, his voice a low, terrifying growl that resonated with pure anger. "I will lose nothing."
Heloise froze on the floor. The pain in her face was eclipsed by a sudden, creeping terror as she looked into his eyes and realized she had made the worst mistake of her life.
