Lucian's eyes remained cold as they fixed on Severin.
"Your wife is not here," he said calmly.
Severin's jaw tightened in anger, "Do not test my patience."
Lucian scoffed, disbelief threading through his voice.
"Your patience?" he echoed. "So the entire world is supposed to revolve around it?"
He stepped forward, deliberately placing himself between Severin and Arienne.
"My mother is not going anywhere with you," Lucian said flatly. "Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever."
Severin's expression darkened, "You think you have the right to decide that?"
Lucian didn't raise his voice, "I'm not deciding it for her. I'm enforcing it for myself."
The room fell into a dangerous stillness.
Severin's lips curved into something thin and humorless, "So you've finally decided to defy me."
Lucian met his gaze without flinching.
"I decided to do that the day you replaced her."
"You know why I did that!" Severin barked.
