Chapter 7 - The Declaration of Ownership
"This is my house," Margaret stated, her voice dripping with absolute entitlement and disdain, cutting cleanly through Elena’s soft weeping. The words hung in the air like a guillotine blade. It wasn't just a statement of property ownership; it was a psychological assertion that inside these walls, her word was law, and neither Julian nor his wife had any rights, boundaries, or sanctuary. Margaret stared them down, entirely confident that her son would fold under the weight of her lifelong dominance, completely unaware that she had finally pushed the fragile balance of power past its absolute breaking point.
