Shattered Facades

The atmosphere in the room was tense as Elara’s words lingered. Mrs. Blackwood was frozen, her face showing a mix of shock and anger. Damian, on the other hand, remained silent, his arm still wrapped around Elara’s waist.

“How dare you!” Mrs. Blackwood finally sputtered, her voice trembling with rage. “You insolent little—”

“Mother,” Damian interrupted, his voice firm. “I think it’s time for you to leave.”

Mrs. Blackwood’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Damian, you can’t be serious. This woman—”

“Is my wife,” Damian finished, his tone leaving no room for argument. “And as I said before, if you can’t respect her, you have no place in this house.”

For a moment, it seemed as though Mrs. Blackwood might argue further, but instead, she straightened her shoulders and fixed Elara with an icy glare. “This isn’t over,” she hissed before turning on her heel and storming out of the room.

As soon as the door slammed shut behind her, Elara felt her knees go weak. The adrenaline that had been fueling