Nico rolled up Daphne’s sleeve with care, almost mockingly gentle as if administering medicine rather than preparing to torture her.
Father stepped back, observing the needle poised above Daphne’s skin. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked it, his expression hardening into something even colder.
“Looks like I can’t stay and join in the fun,” he announced, tucking the phone away. His gaze swept over Daphne, clinical and detached. “I’ve wasted enough time on this disappointment. Nico, Diego—she’s yours to play with. Do as you wish. Just make sure there’s enough left to serve as a reminder to the others.”
He adjusted his cufflinks, not even looking at her now. “When you’re finished, dispose of what remains. I don’t care how.”
The door clanged shut behind him, the sound echoing throu
