Sofia's POV
The room was thick with tension, Holmes's towering figure casting a shadow over Alex, who was slumped on the floor clutching his face. Blood trickled from his split lip where my father’s fist had connected, with his father's lashes.
"I had her marry you against her will," Holmes spat, his voice trembling with fury, "and I’ll be damned if you treat her like a slave you bought off the market."
Alex attempted to rise, his lips curling in defiance, but Holmes raised his hand again, making him freeze. "You’re a disgrace, Alex! Hitting a woman—your wife, no less! You’ve tarnished the Holmes name."
Holmes reached for the cane he rarely used, holding it like a lash. The hardwood made a sharp sound as it struck Alex’s shoulder, forcing him back down. "You think you’re invincible be
