The Thorne Heiress Unveiling Shadow novel Chapter 2

The farce of dinner ended abruptly, the dessert course left to melt in the kitchen.

Caroline Sutton's fingers, adorned with a gaudy diamond ring, dug into Evelyn's upper arm like talons. She yanked her from her chair without a word and began dragging her into the grand living room. The marble floors felt like ice beneath Evelyn's thin shoes, the chill seeping into her bones. The guests lingered in the doorway, a silent, smirking jury, pretending not to watch the public execution.

"I have had enough of your ingratitude," Caroline hissed, her voice low and furious, shoving Evelyn toward the center of the room. "For eighteen years, we gave you a life you could only have dreamed of. We plucked you from filth, gave you a name, a home. And this is how you repay us? By embarrassing this family in front of everyone?"

With a flick of her wrist, Caroline tossed a check onto the polished coffee table. It fluttered down, a flimsy white rectangle against the dark, unyielding stone.

"Five thousand dollars," Caroline said, her voice now rising, dripping with a contempt colder than the marble. "That's more than your kind deserves. This is the last shred of decency you'll get from us. Don't be ungrateful."

The amount was a calculated insult, a pittance meant to signify Evelyn's worthlessness after eighteen years of service as the family's stand-in, place-holder daughter.

Just as the humiliation was settling in, Aria rushed to her side, a vision of counterfeit sisterly concern. Her eyes were already welling up with glistening, fake tears, her acting skills far superior in life than they ever would be on a stage.

"Evelyn, please don't go," she pleaded, her voice trembling for her audience. She grabbed Evelyn's hand, her touch cold and clammy. "I'll beg Mom to let you stay…"

She paused, looking around the room to ensure everyone was watching, letting the dramatic effect build.

His eyes, clouded with age but clear with intent, were filled with a quiet, defiant kindness. It was a small act, a silent protest against the cruelty of the house he served. It was a gesture that said, I see you.

Caroline's eyes narrowed, her scowl deepening at the butler's insubordination. "James! Get back to the kitchen."

But James didn't retreat. He held his ground, his gaze steady on Evelyn, waiting until her fingers wrapped around the cool glass.

Evelyn met his eyes, and for the first time that night, a flicker of genuine warmth touched her frozen interior. She gave him a barely perceptible nod. A silent thank you that conveyed more than words ever could. It was a glimmer of humanity in a room devoid of it, a final, quiet connection before she walked out of their lives forever.