Chapter 4 - The Edge of the Iris
Mark slowly turned his head to face Vanessa.
The camera zoomed in tight, locking onto his face in an extreme, high-contrast close-up.
The warm, ambient kitchen light cast a deep, harsh shadow across the left side of his jaw.
His dark eyes narrowed until the irises turned almost black beneath his heavy brow.
The muscle in his jaw twitched once, a sharp pulse beating beneath his tan skin.
He didn't blink. He didn't shift his stance.
He kept one arm wrapped like an iron band around his daughter's shaking back.
The silence between them stretched, thick and suffocating, drowning out even the faint hum of the refrigerator.
Vanessa took half a step backward, her heel clicking against the baseboard.
Her hand drifted up to her collar, her fingers twisting the top button of her beige blouse.
Mark took one step forward, his shadow swallowing the light across the marble island.
His voice came out low, deep, and laced with absolute venom.
May you like
"Vanessa!"
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