Chapter 2: Shadows in the Hallway
Lorena had no idea that from the moment her cruel words began, a shadow had been standing frozen in the darkness of the hallway leading to the dining room.
Marcus Whitmore stood there.
He had returned home much earlier than expected. In his hand, he held a black leather briefcase containing a thin folder—a folder that felt as heavy as an anchor. He had come home intending to confront a suspicion that had tormented him for months. But the scene before his eyes made his blood run cold, before instantly erupting into a roaring fire of rage.
He saw his biological daughter—the flesh and blood of his late, beloved wife—crying and begging for a single scrap of food. He saw the woman he had married, the woman who always played the role of a saintly mother in his presence, spitting venom at a helpless child.
"You are not my responsibility." As soon as Lorena’s voice faded, Marcus stepped out into the light.
His face was deathly pale with rage. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes were bloodshot. The heavy thud of his shoes on the floor shattered the dead silence of the dining room.
Lorena gasped and spun around. Seeing Marcus, a flash of panic crossed her eyes, but she quickly forced on a fragile, fake smile. "Marcus… you’re home early? I was just—"
"Then your children shouldn't be eating either," Marcus cut her off. His voice was dangerously low, trembling with a fury that was barely contained.
Lorena raised her eyebrows, feigning offense. "What are you talking about, Marcus? They are our children. Have you gone mad, taking your anger out on the kids?"
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Marcus marched over to the dining table and violently slammed the black folder onto the surface. The impact knocked over a water glass, sending liquid spilling across the porcelain tabletop, but no one dared to move.
"Because I just found out..." Marcus growled, his eyes locking onto Lorena like twin gun barrels, "... none of them are mine!"
