Chapter 1 - The Price of Disrespect
The terrace fell into a dead, suffocating silence as the crumpled invoice fluttered to the wet pavement.
Richard lay groaning in the ruins of the shattered ice sculpture, his expensive tuxedo soaked in freezing water.
Margaret stared at the piece of paper, her face draining of its arrogant flush.
Marcus did not offer a hand to help his father up.
Instead, he kept his body firmly positioned between his trembling children and the monsters who raised him.
"I paid for the catering, the venue, the string quartet, and that absurd sculpture you just crushed," Marcus said, his voice echoing across the quiet patio.
He glared at the surrounding relatives, who were quickly lowering their cell phones in sudden shame.
"Every single drop of champagne you hypocrites are drinking was funded by my bank account."
Chloe buried her face in Marcus’s jacket, her small shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.
Leo dropped his heavy silver platter, letting it clatter loudly against the stone tiles.
"You dare speak to us this way?" Margaret hissed, stepping forward with trembling hands.
"After everything we have done for you, you disrespect us at our own anniversary party?"
Marcus let out a dark, humorless laugh that made several guests take a step back.
"You forced my children to act as your personal servants while you laughed at them," Marcus growled, his eyes blazing with fury.
"My late wife’s family might not have been wealthy, but she had more class in her little finger than this entire bloodline."
He turned to his three children, his expression softening instantly as he looked at their tear-stained faces.
"Come on, kids, we are leaving this toxic wasteland right now," he whispered gently.
"You can't just leave, Marcus!" Richard shouted, finally scrambling up from the melting ice.
"Who is going to pay the final balance for the open bar?"
Marcus paused at the edge of the terrace and looked back with a terrifying, icy smile.
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"I am canceling my credit card on file the moment I get to my car."
He turned his back on his parents and walked away as the crowd gasped in horror.
