Chapter 3 - The Stripping of the Crown
Santiago’s mother lunged forward, dropping her aristocratic demeanor completely. "You ungrateful little mouse! We gave you a roof! We gave you a surname!"
"You gave her bruises," Alexander snapped, his eyes flashing with lethal fury. "Guards, escort Mrs. Vance off the premises. Strip her of her jewelry—it was purchased with funds from a company that now belongs to the Harrington estate."
Two guards grabbed the older woman by her arms. She screamed and cursed, kicking her heels against the floor as she was dragged out into the rainy night, left standing on the curb without her coat, her purse, or her status.
Santiago fell to his knees. The terrifying reality had finally shattered his ego. He reached out toward my ankles, his eyes pleading. "Clara... darling... please. I was stressed. The company was failing, and I panicked! I love you! Think of our baby! We can start over!"
I looked down at the man I had spent two years trying to please, cooking his meals, enduring his cruel comments, and hiding my tears in the bathroom. The illusion was completely gone.
"You never loved me," I said coldly. "You loved the idea of a woman who couldn't fight back."
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"I am the father of your child!" he cried out, tears of desperation finally leaking down his face. "You can't take my son away from me!"
I leaned down close to him, repeating the exact words he had whispered to me moments earlier. "If you don't sign the divorce and full-custody papers by tomorrow morning... you're going to spend the rest of your life in a dark room."
