Chapter 1 - The Shattered Glass and the Mask SlipsThe kitchen floor was a chaotic mosaic of green glass shards and spilled orange juice, but my eyes were locked entirely on Leo. His small frame convulsed, tiny gasps tearing from his throat like dry leaves scraping against pavement. Panic tore through my veins with the force of a tidal wave. I dropped beside him, ignoring the sharp edges biting into my knees, and scooped him into my shaking arms.
"Leo! Look at me, sweetheart, stay with me!" I screamed, my voice cracking with absolute terror.
Across the room, standing at the threshold of the hallway, was Marcus. The charming, helpful boyfriend who always wore a comforting smile was entirely gone. In his place stood a chilling stranger. His hands were tucked casually into his pockets, and a cold, detached smirk curved his lips. There was no panic in his eyes, no rush to help—only the calculated, predatory gaze of someone watching an experiment unfold precisely as planned.
"Marcus! Call an ambulance, for God's sake!" I shriekred, tears blinding my vision.
Marcus didn't move an inch. He slowly shook his head, his voice dropping into a smooth, venomous whisper that cut straight through my hysteria. "An ambulance won't help him now, Evelyn. And calling them will only invite questions we don't have good answers for."
May you like
My blood ran instantly cold. The horrific implication of his words slammed into me harder than the shock of Leo's collapse. "What... what did you do to him?"
"I just helped him realize that stubbornness has a price," Marcus replied calmly, stepping over a shard of glass with terrifying ease. He leaned down, whispering directly into my ear, his breath smelling faintly of citrus and malice. "You should have kept him in line yourself, old woman. Now, you play by my rules, or your daughter joins him next."
