The heavy silence in the grand foyer felt heavier than the marble pillars holding up the ceiling. Jonathan stood frozen with his infant son clutched tightly against his chest, his gaze darting between his weeping maid and his impeccably dressed second wife. The sheer audacity on Victoria's face was enough to make his stomach turn inside out, but the raw terror in Clara's eyes told a completely different story. He had trusted Victoria with everything after his first wife passed away, believing she would be a gentle mother to his only heir. Instead, it turned out he had invited a cold-blooded tyrant into the very heart of his family home. Jonathan lowered the baby gently into Clara's waiting arms once more, his movements stiff and mechanical as his anger reached a boiling point. The trust fund, the prenuptial agreements, and the luxury lifestyle suddenly meant nothing compared to the safety of his innocent flesh and blood. Victoria crossed