Martha emerged from the music room with my father. I didn’t greet them. Didn’t pause.
“Where is Darian!” I said again, louder.
And then he appeared—Darian, with that same smug, polished look he always wore like a shield. I didn’t think. I didn’t speak. I just moved.
I slammed into him, fists flying, years of resentment exploding in seconds. He didn’t fight back. That almost made it worse. I landed blow after blow until my father physically pulled me off.
“Don’t you ever touch my wife again!” I shouted, my voice shaking with fury. “Stay away from Mara, Darian. You had your chance and you blew it. You can’t keep coming for things that belong to me!”
I meant it. That’s all this was. He didn’t want her because he loved her. He wanted her because I had her.
“Control yourself, Lucian,” my
