Her hand rose shakily to her cheek, the heat from the slap lingering. Her fingers brushed against the tender flesh, and she winced. The impact had been so forceful that she felt a faint warmth—blood. She dabbed her thumb at the corner of her mouth and stared at the crimson streak on her skin.
She glanced up slowly, catching the fire in her father's eyes. Robert stood stiffly, his chest heaving as he glared down at her. The heat of his rage seemed to press down on the room, making it hard to breathe. Beside him, Helena's lips curled into a smug smile, her satisfaction practically oozing from her posture.
Delphinia's jaw tightened, and she straightened in her chair, her hand dropping to her lap. She refused to give Helena the pleasure of seeing her crumble.
Robert's voice cut through the thick silence like a whip. "You disgrace this family, Delphinia. First, a failed marriage, and now this? You've made a fool of the Harrington name."
