Chapter 2 - The Tyrant's Entrance
Before Elena could catch her breath, the heavy silence of the kitchen was shattered. From the formal dining room in the background—framed by an elegant, classic chandelier—the sharp, deliberate click of heels announced the arrival of Margaret, her mother-in-law. Margaret, a woman in her sixties with immaculate styled gray hair and a stern, unyielding expression, glided into the kitchen. She was dressed in a rich burgundy pleated dress, adorned with a classic silver necklace that caught the indoor light. Margaret didn't offer a word of comfort, nor did she acknowledge the crying infant. Instead, her face tightened into a mask of cold entitlement as she closed the distance. "Where's the coffee?" Margaret demanded, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. "I asked you once." Her tone brooked no argument, treating a sleep-deprived new mother like an insubordinate servant in her own home.
