Chapter 1 - Standing in the Freezing Draft
The heavy double oak doors of the grand mansion swung wide open, allowing a brutal blast of sub-zero winter wind and thick white snow to rush across the polished marble floor.
Brooke, an arrogant mid-30s woman with styled blonde hair pulled back into a rigid bun, stood near the entry archway wearing a burgundy dress coat over a deep maroon dress. Her long manicured finger jabbed violently toward the blizzard outside. Sitting comfortably beside her in a leather-lined luxury stroller was a tiny Pomeranian dog wearing a pink wool sweater.
"Your kids can wait in the truck during dinner!" Brooke snapped, her voice piercing through the grand hall like shattering glass.
Rupert, a handsome late-30s single father wearing a dark navy winter coat over a sweater and scarf, instinctively stepped forward, pulling his two children behind his broad shoulders. Twelve-year-old Owen, wearing an olive green puffer jacket, and nine-year-old Lucy, bundled in a light blue coat and white scarf, clung to brightly wrapped, handmade birthday gifts. Their small faces were pale, their lips shivering in the freezing wind howling through the open doorway.
Behind Brooke stood their 60s mother, dressed in a green floral silk jacket with a strand of pristine pearls around her neck. She rubbed her temples with an annoyed, dismissive look on her face.
"The twins don't feel secure around them," Brooke added snobbishly, without offering a single glance toward her shivering nephew and niece.
Rupert stared at his sister, then looked down at the pampered dog sitting in a heated stroller inside the mansion. His dark brown eyes hardened with cold, controlled fury.
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"My kids go to the freezing truck, but your dog gets a stroller inside?" Rupert asked in a calm, icy tone that caused the room to fall into an uncomfortable silence.
👉 Read Part 2 to see the mother's shocking reaction during her own birthday celebration.
