Chapter 1: The Words That Broke Him
Marcus froze as he watched the screen, his hand tightening around the edge of his desk.
“Dogs eat when they’re given food,” Cassandra said coldly, her voice devoid of any warmth. “And bad children eat like dogs.”
Lily sobbed softly, her small hands trembling as she reached toward the bowl.
Marcus’s breath caught in his throat.
This wasn’t discipline. This wasn’t parenting.
This was cruelty.
And worse—Lily didn’t look surprised.
She looked… trained.
Marcus rewound the footage. Again. Again. Every second burned deeper into his mind. The way Cassandra stood. The way Lily flinched before she even spoke. This wasn’t the first time.
It was a pattern.
And Marcus realized something terrifying:
This had been happening right under his roof… while he was busy building his empire.
His stomach churned with guilt.
But guilt could wait.
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Now, there was only one thing that mattered.
Proof.
