The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 74

That soul-piercing question acted like an invisible ice pick, instantly shattering the hypocritical, emotionally manipulative veil hanging over the dining room.

Dead silence.

A silence far more suffocating than any screaming match could ever be.

The pitiful expression on Clarissa's face shattered like a cheap mask, and beneath it lay pure, unadulterated panic and guilt.

Her hands tightened their grip on her stomach, her knuckles turning a ghostly white from the sheer force.

For the first time, Lizzie's clouded eyes widened in complete bewilderment and shock. She looked at Clarissa, then at Annelise, her lips moving without producing a single sound.

The first to break the paralyzing quiet was Hackett.

He shot up from his chair, the legs screeching sharply against the polished marble floor.

His face, which usually maintained the composed aura of the elite, was now so dark with rage it looked murderous.

"Enough!"

He snapped, storming around the dining table and grabbing Annelise firmly by the wrist.

His palm was dry and burning hot, his grip terrifyingly strong. It felt like an iron vise clamping down on her, sending a dull ache straight to her bones.

"Come upstairs with me."

He practically dragged her toward the second floor.

Annelise didn't fight back, nor did she cast a single backward glance at the two women left at the table.

She let him drag her across the sprawling living room and up the spiral staircase.

Her steps were steady, her spine perfectly straight, looking every bit like a proud queen marching toward the guillotine.

With a violent slam, Hackett threw the bedroom door shut behind them.

He released her wrist, leaving a stark, red ring of fingerprints blooming on her pale skin.

The lights were off. The only illumination came from the dim hallway light seeping through the crack beneath the door, casting a long, narrow shadow across the carpet.

Hackett's tall frame stood within that sliver of light, looking like an enraged beast barely suppressing its fury.

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