The Shattered Illusion
Her lips trembled. “I-I didn’t mean—”
“Oh, you meant every word.” Richard’s tone cut like glass. “If you can humiliate someone for doing their job, you will never be part of this family.”
At that moment, Ethan reappeared, standing silently behind his father. His face was unreadable, but his eyes glistened with disappointment.
“Dad told me about the test weeks ago,” Ethan said finally. “I wanted to believe you’d pass. I wanted to believe you loved me—not just the lifestyle.”
Vanessa’s voice cracked. “Ethan, please—”
But he shook his head. “I think you should go.”
The silence in the grand foyer pressed against her like a physical weight. Each step of her heels echoed sharper, emptier, until the massive gates closed behind her with a final clang.
