*Ember’s POV*
"Hello, wife," Lucien greeted, his voice a hoarse whisper. A sinister grin spread across his face, a stark contrast to the madness in his eyes. "I think it's time for us to have a little talk," he sneered.
A high-pitched shriek, a mental assault, began to reverberate within my mind, threatening to overwhelm me. But I refused to yield. I dug deep, summoning every ounce of my willpower to resist the psychic onslaught. The noise, once a debilitating threat, was now a mere annoyance, a distant echo in the depths of my consciousness. I glared at Lucien, my defiance a beacon of hope in the face of darkness. He did not like it. He did not like being challenged.
Lucien's malicious smile faltered, replaced by a look of pure, unadulterated rage. With a swift, violent movement, he lunged forward, his powerful grip constricting my throat. He lifted me off the ground, my feet dangling helplessly. "How dare you defy your husband," he hissed, his voice venomous. "You will pay."