Thora quietly tried to slip into an empty chair after serving dinner, only for Heloise to violently yank the little girl back onto her feet

The cinematic, natural lighting of the dining room seemed to sharpen, acting as a harsh spotlight on Heloise's cruelty. The favored cousin, sitting in her expensive party dress, finally stopped eating her cake, sensing the apocalyptic tension radiating from the tall, handsome man standing by the wall.

Heloise, realizing she was losing control of the narrative in front of her family and friends, decided to double down. She believed she held the ultimate leverage. She straightened her posture, smoothing the front of her elegant emerald gown, and stepped boldly toward Aldric without a single ounce of remorse.

"You are embarrassing me in front of my guests, Aldric," Heloise stated, her voice regaining its crisp, aristocratic bite. "I am the lady of this house. When you are gone, I make the rules. If the child disobeys me, she is punished."

"She is five years old," Aldric said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. He stepped forward, keeping Thora safely shielded behind him. "And you put her in a maid's uniform. You struck her face."

"She earned it!" Heloise shrieked, pointing an accusing, manicured finger toward the front door. "And if you don't like the way I run things, you know exactly where the exit is. But remember who holds the deeds to this estate, Aldric. The prenuptial agreement is ironclad. My father made sure of it."

The guests held their breath. The financial dynamic of the marriage was a poorly kept secret among their elite circle. Heloise’s family possessed massive generational wealth, and she frequently used it to subjugate those around her.

"Are you threatening me, Heloise?" Aldric asked, his masculine presence completely dominating her.

"I am stating a fact," Heloise smiled, a cold, vicious, and deeply threatening expression spreading across her fair, rosy face. She crossed her arms over her chest, fully believing she had backed him into a corner.

"Choose her," Heloise threatened, her eyes flashing with malicious triumph, "and you lose this house. You walk out of here with nothing but the clothes on your back. Is that little brat really worth losing your empire over?"

Aldric didn't blink. He didn't shout. He simply let out a slow, steady breath. The bright video colors of the room reflected in his dark, unyielding eyes.

Without a word, Aldric slowly walked over to where Heloise stood. He moved with a terrifying, deliberate calmness. Heloise kept her cold smile, expecting him to apologize, expecting him to bow to her financial superiority.

She was catastrophically mistaken.

Aldric pulled his right arm back and, with explosive, devastating force, punched Heloise squarely in the face.

The sound of the impact cracked like a gunshot through the dining room. Heloise’s eyes rolled back instantly. The sheer, overwhelming power of the blow lifted her off her expensive heels. She flew backward, spinning wildly out of control, and fell hard onto the polished floor with a heavy, sickening thud.

Her crystal wine glass shattered beside her, splashing red wine across her elegant gown.

Aldric stood over her, his chest heaving, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He looked down at the woman writhing on the floor, speaking through tightly clenched teeth, his voice vibrating with absolute, unfiltered rage.