. The Carlisle estate was a prison. Her daughter's home was a war zone. Sh

zing she had saved none of it. She had been too shocked, too hurt, too foolish. That mistake would not happ

s the street from La Sirène, the Michelin-starred restaurant where Damien ofte

a's shoulders. Seraphina smiled up at him, and they kissed under th

cold, clear purpose. She raised her phone and took

y. She started the c

estate, or to Seraphina's apartment. It w

s mistress into he

She accelerated, swerving her car in front of hi

y screeche

, a lone figure in the

is face contorted with fury.

hina shrank back, performing h

out of here," she said, her voice low and shaking. "Yo

Alex. I can bring anyone I want." He leaned in, his voice a cruel whisper. "And let me be clear. Sera is

Teaching her that her own mother is a maid? That she should want a brother and

era teaches her what a real family looks like. She teaches her to want the right

lly-that he and Seraphina had been feeding Clara those thoughts, those wo

ked at Damien, then at Seraphina, still cowering in t

t to see her mother as worthless. And a child shaped by that kind of teaching-day after day, gift after gift

akes her happy," he continued, twisting the knife.

her as a wife. He was r

ak. She simply looked at him the way she would look at

and Seraphina made sure of that. She's been taught to be cold, selfish, and cruel. T

last trace of warmth

her. I'

o her car, and drove away

sion wavered, replaced by a flicker of something unreadable. Then h

e, she calle

to make some changes to the divorce petition I sent you." She stared at the e