Chapter 2 - The Shattered Sanctuary"Lily!" I shouted, the breath instantly leaving my lungs.
I dropped my leather briefcase onto the marble floor with a heavy thud, sprinting across the room in my tailored charcoal suit. Victoria spun around, her face dropping its mask of cold entitlement as I swept past her.
Dropping to my knees on the rug, I scooped my shivering, soaked little girl into my arms.
"Daddy's here. You're safe," I whispered, pressing her wet head against my chest while she shook uncontrollably.
I looked down at the overturned wheelchair, then back up at Victoria. My eyes, usually warm and patient, hardened into pure, unadulterated fury.
"You did this to my daughter?" I demanded, my voice trembling with a terrifying, mounting rage.
Victoria stepped back, her hands flying to her chest in mock defensiveness. "She was being defiant, Daniel! She refuses to respect me! If you're going to spoil a disabled child, someone has to teach her discipline!"
I stood up slowly, towering over her. The years of trying to make our blended marriage work—ignoring her coldness, justifying her sharp remarks—evaporated in a single second.
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"Don't ever touch my daughter again," I whispered, my voice a deadly, frozen hiss.
Before she could answer, I turned away, cradling Lily tightly against my heart as I carried her toward the warmth of the master suite.
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