I stood frozen in the doorway of Father's study, the scene ahead slicing through me like a knife. The folder lay open between them, its contents tantalizingly hidden but undeniably potent. Edward's gaze cut through the air, sharp and calculating, while Ellie faced him with trembling hands, her chin lifted in defiance.
A fire ignited in my chest as I recognized the look in my father's eyes, like a predatory assessment of a hunter sizing up its prey.
"That's enough." My voice shattered the tension, sharp as glass breaking.
Edward leaned back, a smirk dancing across his lips, partly smile, partly sneer. "You always did arrive too late, son."
Ellie turned to me, surprise flickering in her eyes, yet there was no defeat there. I stepped forward, snapping the folder shut with a force that echoed in the stillness. "This isn't the way to test her, Father; she's new to this. If you want to challenge loyalty, then test mine. Leave her out of your games."
Edward's gaze remained relentless. "Your loyalty is already measured, son, but she isn't, and that's why she must face the test."
My jaw tightened, muscles coiling with an instinct to pull Ellie away, to shield her from his venomous world. But then I looked at her, and something shifted. Yes, she was nervous, but she stood her ground. I realized then, she no longer needed my protection. Not anymore.
I stepped in closer, placing myself between them. "Ellie is not your pawn, and she is definitely not an object for your manipulation, Father."
The air thickened with silence, heavy like a stone cast into a calm pond. With a slow, deliberate exhale, Edward finally replied, "We'll see in time if she's a mere pawn, or perhaps a queen in making."
-
The tension crackled around us, an impending storm. Tristan stood before me like a fierce guardian against the tempest that was his father, his anger both exhilarating and terrifying. Was I the cause of this impasse? Had my attempts to stand tall only tangled us deeper in danger?
I gripped the edge of my skirt, heat flooding my cheeks. "Tristan," I whispered, my voice barely cutting through the tempest.
He turned just enough to meet my gaze, his expression softening in a way I had never witnessed directed at his father. "You don't have to endure this, Ellie," he murmured, concern lacing his words.
But I knew better. I need to prove my worth if I want to stand by Tristan's side because his father was right on one front; caring alone wasn't enough for survival in this world.
"Why? Do you think I'm not strong enough to face this?" I countered, my voice steady with determination. "I'm making my own choices, and I chose to seek the truth. How long do you plan to keep me sheltered under your protection, Tristan? What kind of partner would I be if I couldn't stand tall beside you? Edward reached out for a discussion, and I responded because I refuse to hide. I'm ready to prove that I belong here, in this world."
The storm in Tristan's eyes churned with anger, pride, and worry wrestling for dominance.
Edward rose from his chair, his imposing figure casting a long shadow in the warm morning light. "She has a point," he said, his voice deceptively calm. "Perhaps she deserves more credit than you've given her, son."
Tristan tensed, grappling with the fierce battle raging within him. I reached out, laying my hand gently on his arm, anchoring him to this moment. My heart raced with nerves, but I wouldn't let that undermine my resolve. I turned to face Edward, holding his gaze steady for what felt like an eternity. This time, I didn't feel small in the presence of these giants; instead, I felt powerful