David's fingers dug into the rough surface of the stone wall so hard his knuckles turned completely white. The anger inside him boiled over, hotter and faster than anything he had ever felt in his entire life. He had handed Eleanor the keys to his estate, gave her access to his family fortune, and trusted her to be a loving mother to his motherless daughter. Yet there she stood, kissing another man in plain daylight on his own property without a single thought of care.
He stood up straight from behind the wall, his tall frame blocking the sun as he stepped out into the open driveway. Maya stayed on her knees near the grass, watching her father walk with massive, heavy strides directly toward the black car. The gravel crunched loudly beneath his dress shoes, but the two people by the vehicle were so lost in each other that they did not hear him coming until he was almost upon them.
David: How dare you cheat on me!
His booming voice echoed across the wide stone driveway, tearing through the quiet morning like a crack of thunder. Eleanor froze instantly, her body stiffening as she snapped her head around to look at her husband. The man in the tuxedo quickly let go of her waist, taking a quick step backward toward the open car door with a look of pure panic on his face. Eleanor's eyes went wide with terror as she saw the sheer fury written across David's face.
Eleanor: David! Wait, it is not what it looks like!
David: Shut your mouth, Eleanor!
Eleanor: Please, let me explain to you!
David did not slow down his pace for even a second as he closed the remaining distance between them. Before Eleanor could lift her hands to defend herself or say another word, David swung his right hand across the space separating them. His open palm struck her cheek with a loud, violent impact that echoed off the high concrete walls of the mansion exterior. The force of the strike spun Eleanor around, her feet slipping on the smooth driveway surface as a sharp scream tore from her throat.
She hit the hard gravel ground with a heavy thud, her silk dress spreading out around her as she clutched her red, burning face. The man in the tuxedo backed up even further, placing his hands up in the air as David turned his furious glare toward him. David took one step toward the stranger, his fists clenched tight at his sides, ready to tear the man apart right then and there. The stranger did not stand his ground for a single second; he scrambled into the driver seat, slammed the car door shut, and sped out through the open gate.
David: Get off my property right now!
Eleanor: David, please! You're making a mistake!
David: I made a mistake the day I married you!
Eleanor sobbed uncontrollably from the floor, holding her swollen cheek while trying to pull herself up against the tire of the remaining parked vehicle. David stood over her, his breathing heavy and ragged as he looked down at the woman who had deceived his entire household. Maya slowly stepped out from behind the stone archway, walking toward her father with quiet, hesitant steps, her eyes fixed on her stepmother lying on the ground.
David turned his head to look at his daughter, his expression instantly softening from blind rage into deep, heartbreaking pain. He knelt down on the gravel, opening his arms for Maya, who ran straight into his chest and held on as tight as she could. Over his daughter's shoulder, David stared down at Eleanor with cold, lifeless eyes that held no mercy left inside them. The woman who thought she could steal his wealth and his trust had finally been caught, and there was no turning back.