Natalie's honey-sweet voice made my stomach churn. "I'd like to sincerely apologize for my accusations, Aurelia. It was wrong of me to imply you would harm my daughter."
I stared at her flawlessly contrite expression as she stood in Genevieve's study. Her apology was as genuine as fool's gold—shiny on the surface but worthless underneath.
Julian stood beside me, his amber eyes boring into me, silently commanding me to accept her apology. The pressure of his gaze felt like a physical weight on my shoulders, pushing me to bend once more.
But I was done bending.
Cold fury crystallized in my chest. Five years of suffering. Five years of being gaslit, manipulated, and tormented by this woman while my daughter withered away. Five years of watching Julian choose her over us every single time.
I stepped forward, breaking free from Julian's looming presence.
"Your apology means so much to me, Natalie," I said, matching her saccharine tone.
Then I slapped her across the face.
