Chapter 5 - The Mask Slips
Arthur’s hand tightened around the stem of the untouched glass so hard his knuckles turned the color of ash. He did not look at Maya; instead, his gaze slowly drifted upward, locking onto Victoria with the terrifying weight of a falling guillotine.
The transformation in Victoria was instantaneous. The arrogant, untouchable socialite melted into a trembling wreck of pure, unadulterated panic. The gold sequins of her dress seemed to mock her as the color drained completely from her face, leaving her lips stark white and her eyes darting frantically toward the exits. She took an involuntary half-step backward, her manicured hands rising defensively to her chest as if she could physically block the gaze of the patriarch.
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"Arthur... don't listen to her," Victoria stammered, her voice losing its polished aristocratic resonance, cracking into a desperate, high-pitched whine. "She's a liar! She’s trying to sabotage us—she’s a common thief—"
"Quiet," Arthur commanded. His voice wasn't raised, but it carried the absolute, crushing authority of a man who owned judges, politicians, and police chiefs.
