Chapter 5 - The Jacket
"Put it down."
The voice was low, devoid of a shout, yet it struck the room with the force of a thunderclap.
At the top of the grand stairs stood Daniel. His sharp features were carved in stone, his eyes blazing with a terrifying, contained violence. He descended the stairs slowly, his gaze never leaving Victoria. The guests parted for him instantly, stepping back from the sheer heat of his anger.
Victoria’s haughty expression crumbled into panic. She dropped the shears. "Dan, I was just—"
He didn't even look at her. He walked past his fiancée as if she were nothing but a ghost, closing the distance to where Elara knelt weeping on the floor. Without a word, Daniel shrugged off his custom black suit jacket. He crouched down, ignoring the broken glass beneath his own shoes, and gently wrapped the warm, heavy fabric around Elara's trembling shoulders.
He carefully tilted her chin up, his thumb lightly brushing just below the bleeding cut on her forehead. His voice dropped to a murmur meant only for her.
"Are you hurt?"
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"I'm alright," Elara choked out, her tears soaking into his silk lapel.
Daniel stood, pulling her gently to her feet, keeping her tucked safely under his arm. He finally turned his gaze back to Victoria, and the temperature in the room plummeted. The reign of the viper had just ended.
