The room had gone quiet, heavy with shock and tension. Victoria stood frozen, her lips parted as if she wanted to speak, but even she dared not interrupt the fury pouring from her father's mouth.
Then, slowly, Robert's father turned away, pacing a few steps in the room. He raised his voice again, louder this time. "No! I've kept quiet long enough. I've tried to let you handle your nonsense and find your own path but it seems you want to lead this family into shame. So fine! I will take matters into my own hands now. It's time I deal with this myself."
He paused, his voice colder now, deliberate. "I will go and meet that lady face to face. That good-for-nothing witch of a lady… I'll deal with her personally. But not the way you did it, sneaking behind closed doors like a coward. I'll do it openly. And amicably? Well, that depends on whether she knows how to walk away from fire when she sees it burning."
