Chapter 2 - The Sound of Defiance
For a brief, agonizing second, the corridor was entirely silent. The only sound was the faint hum of the central air conditioning and the rapid, terrified heartbeats of the kitchen staff watching from the doorway.
Celeste smiled a wicked, satisfied smile. She thrived on this power. She was marrying into a billionaire syndicate, and she fully intended to rule the estate with absolute, merciless cruelty. She expected Laura to lower her head, apologize profusely, and scrape her hands on the sharp porcelain just to survive the night.
Instead, Laura’s natural breathing slowed. Her expression, which had been calm and submissive just moments prior, suddenly underwent a terrifying shift. The submissive maid vanished. In her place was a woman radiating fierce, undeniable defiance.
Without a single warning, Laura abruptly stood up.
She didn't scramble to her feet. She rose with a smooth, terrifyingly controlled grace that completely caught Celeste off guard. The bride-to-be blinked, her cruel smile faltering slightly as the maid suddenly stood face-to-face with her, refusing to look down.
Before Celeste could even open her mouth to scream a reprimand, Laura’s hand swung through the air.
CRACK.
The sound of the slap was explosive, echoing violently down the grand marble corridor like a gunshot. It wasn't a panicked, emotional strike. It was a powerful, perfectly executed slap across Celeste’s face, carrying so much force that tiny droplets of sweat and makeup flew into the air under the glow of the crystal chandeliers.
But what made the moment truly heart-stopping wasn't just the assault on the bride. It was the tall, imposing figure who had just stepped out of the study.
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Garrett, the ruthless head of the syndicate, stood directly behind them. He watched the maid strike his fiancée, his face completely hidden in the shadows.
👉 Celeste was just struck across the face, but her nightmare was only just beginning now that the boss had arrived.
