Morning light filtered through the tall windows of Seaview Villa, painting the grand halls in a warm glow. Yet the previous night’s chaos lingered like a shadow. Daniel Wright had humiliated me publicly, parading Rachel Parker as his chosen companion while mocking the Summers family’s authority. My anger simmered beneath a controlled exterior, a storm Daniel had no idea was about to break.
I paced slowly through the hall, recalling every word he had spoken. “Catherine, do your duty as Mrs. Summers, and I won’t embarrass you. You must treat Rachel well. That’s your responsibility.” His tone, firm yet calculated, reeked of arrogance. The arrogance of a man who believed possession equaled power.
Rachel, perched delicately on a velvet chair nearby, tilted her head like a fragile porcelain doll. “Brother Daniel, I’ll be careful… I promise not to anger Miss Summers,” she whispered, voice smooth with practiced innocence.
I froze, studying her expression. Every glance, every whispered word, was a manipulation. She had used her time as a servant to learn, to strategize, and now she wielded it against me. Yet her fear betrayed her, and I could sense the trepidation behind her poised exterior.