Chapter 1: The Broken Watch and the Unwelcome Guest
The sound of the slap still echoed in the grand dining room as Elena crouched on the cold floor, surrounded by shattered porcelain and scattered food. Her mother-in-law, Victoria, stood over her with eyes full of malice, having just forced Elena to eat from the ground. The rest of the family sat in stunned, complicit silence.
But the atmosphere shattered instantly when headlight high-beams pierced through the large windows, followed by the screeching of tires.
A tall, commanding figure stepped into the room. It was Christopher—the estranged, powerful eldest son of the family, a man everyone thought was dead or exiled. Dressed in a sharp black suit and leather gloves, his presence suffocated the room's arrogance.
Christopher didn't look at his trembling mother. His eyes went straight to the floor, tracking a pocket watch that had fallen and broken during the scuffle. He knelt, his gloved hand picking up the shattered timepiece. Victoria gasped, her hand flying to her chest in sudden terror.
"Who did this?" Christopher’s voice was dangerously quiet.
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"Christopher... my son, she was being disrespectful—" Victoria stammered, attempting to regain her composure.
Christopher stood up, completely ignoring his mother. He walked over to Elena, extending his gloved hand to pull her up from the floor. "Are you alright?" he asked gently. Elena, wiping a tear from her cheek, merely nodded. Christopher looked back at the dining table, his gaze cold enough to freeze water. "This house has forgotten who built its foundation. It’s time for a cleaning."
