Chapter 5 - Cracks in the Mirror
A murmur echoed through the crowd as Andrew spoke, confirming the story they had all been eager to consume. But not every eye in the room sparkled with cruel certainty.
Standing near the perimeter, framed by a massive arrangement of white roses and cream curtains, an elderly gentleman shifted uncomfortably. His hair was silver, his tuxedo immaculate, and a golden brooch gleamed on his lapel. He watched Evelyn cradle the weeping child, his brows furrowed in deep concern.
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He had known Evelyn's late husband. He had seen how hard Evelyn worked to raise Sophie alone, refusing every handout, taking on extra shifts at the clinic just to pay for school uniforms. He looked at Andrew's tight, furious expression, then down at the distinct welt on the little girl's face.
The old man's hand tightened around his walking cane. Something about the speed of the accusation, the immediate violent strike against a six-year-old, felt wrong—calculated, even. He opened his mouth as if to speak, to intervene, but the heavy silence of high-society protocol pressed down on him, keeping him anchored to the spot.
