Chapter 4 - The Confrontation"Why are you eating that?" Julian demanded, his voice thick with tears and choked with rage as he smoothed Lily’s messy hair away from her face. He used the cuff of his crisp white shirt to tenderly wipe the porridge from her lips and chin.
Lily squeezed her eyes shut, clinging to his neck as if he were the only lifeline in a storm. "Mommy said... bad girls don't get plates," she whimpered, her tiny voice trembling violently. "Mommy said I have to eat like the dogs if I spill my milk."
Julian’s blood ran cold. The fury that ignited inside him was unlike anything he had ever felt. He stood up slowly, lifting Lily into the cradle of his left arm, protecting her with his entire body.
He turned his gaze toward Victoria. She shrank back a step, her heel catching slightly on the hem of her expensive dress.
"Why are you back so early?" Victoria gasped, her voice trembling, her eyes darting toward the dropped briefcases near the entrance. "You... you were supposed to be in Chicago until Thursday! You said the flight was booked!"
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"You're worried about my flight?!" Julian roared, his voice booming off the high ceiling, making Victoria flinch. "Look at her, Victoria! Look at what you're doing to our daughter! Are you out of your mind?!"
"You don't understand!" Victoria shrieked, her panic turning into defensive anger. "She was disobedient! She ruined the silk rug in the drawing room! She needs discipline, Julian! You're never here, you don't know how difficult she is!"
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