Chapter 7
The sudden absence of the livestream didn't bring relief; it only sealed the suffocating reality of the room. The red recording light vanished, but the damage was permanent. Sebastian calmly slid the expensive smartphone into the inner pocket of his black suit jacket, securing the digital evidence of the Cole family's true nature.
"Daddy?" Lily's tiny voice broke the heavy silence. She was still clutching the back of his leg, her small body trembling with residual fear.
Sebastian’s hardened expression softened instantly. He knelt down gracefully, uncaring of the mess on the floor, and scooped his daughter up into his strong arms. He rested her head against his broad shoulder, his large hand gently cradling the back of her head.
"I've got you, sweetheart," Sebastian murmured, placing a soft kiss on her temple. "Daddy's got you. Nobody is ever going to hurt you again. I promise."
Watching this tender display, Victor found a sudden, desperate surge of courage. "You can't do this, Sebastian. You can't threaten to throw my daughter out of her own home. She is your wife. She is carrying your child!"
Sebastian stood up, holding Lily securely against his chest. When he looked at Victor, the warmth vanished, replaced by a calculating frost. "She forfeited her right to this home the second she laid her hands on my daughter, Victor. And as for the child she's carrying, I will ensure it is raised far away from the poison of your family."
"You're crazy," Ethan groaned, finally managing to push himself up onto his elbows. His face was a mess—his right cheek was bruised a violent shade of purple, and a steady stream of blood trickled from a split lip. He spat a mouthful of blood and frosting onto the floor. "You think you can just erase us? My father has lawyers. We'll take you for everything you have."
"Lawyers?" Sebastian laughed, a low, rumbling sound that lacked any real humor. "Ethan, you really are a profoundly stupid man. You think this is going to be settled in a courtroom?"
"It will be if you lay another hand on us!" Victor shouted, pointing a shaking finger at Sebastian. "I'll call the police right now! I'll tell them you assaulted my son!"
"Do it," Sebastian challenged, his eyes flashing with a dangerous glint. "Call them, Victor. Tell them I defended myself against a man who attacked me in my own home, right after thousands of witnesses watched your daughter strike a toddler. Let's see who the police decide to arrest. Or better yet..."
Sebastian reached into his pocket and pulled out his own phone. He dialed a single number and placed it to his ear, his eyes never leaving Victor's pale face.
May you like
"Marcus," Sebastian said into the receiver, his tone shifting into absolute authority. "The party is over. Bring the men up to the main house. Lock down the perimeter. No one leaves."
Victor and Ethan exchanged a look of pure dread. They finally understood they weren't dealing with a suburban husband; they were dealing with the monster hiding beneath the tailored suit.
