LUCIOUS POV.
The silence in the hallway felt thick enough to choke on. My father's eyes stayed fixed on Diana's ruined face for a long, painful second before they shifted sharply to Marissa. The disappointment in his gaze was like a heavy slap.
"Marissa," Alpha Leo said, voice low but dangerously controlled, "Are you mad?"
The words cracked through the hall. Marissa's eyes blinked rapidly as she wasn't expecting such a question, her lips trembling as she pressed herself back, still clutching her bruised throat. She tried to speak, but nothing came out except a breathy stutter.
"Why," my father pressed, taking a step forward, "why would you do such a thing to a maid? A harmless young girl? For what reason?" His voice rose, not with rage, but with disgust. "What sort of woman pours hot water on another person's face and then lies so shamelessly about it?"
