CHAPTER 2 — THE TRUTH BEHIND THE VEIL
CHAPTER 2 — THE TRUTH BEHIND THE VEIL
The room fell silent.
Emily slowly lifted her head.
The tears she had forced onto her face vanished the moment she saw Daniel standing in the doorway.
He wasn't looking at her.
He was looking at his daughter.
Lily's small body trembled uncontrollably.
She instinctively tried to hide her bruised legs beneath the hem of her flower-girl dress.
Daniel crossed the room without another word.
He knelt beside her.
"Sweetheart..."
She burst into tears.
"I didn't mean to make her mad."
Daniel carefully wrapped his suit jacket around her shoulders.
"You didn't do anything wrong."
Behind him, Emily found her voice.
"Daniel, this isn't what it looks like."
He slowly stood.
His eyes drifted to the laundry basket.
The end of the rattan cane was still visible beneath a folded towel.
He pulled it out.
Fresh red marks stained the smooth wood.
"You hit my daughter."
Emily shook her head frantically.
"I was disciplining her."
"You call this discipline?"
"No—she kept crying. She wouldn't stop."
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Daniel's jaw tightened.
"She's six."
