The cruel stepmother cast the crying child out, thinking the estate was hers. She never expected the father’s early return. Nor did she expect the ancient, forbidden key dangling from his fingers. Her darkest secret has finally seen the light

Before Eleanor could raise her hands to violently shove the weeping girl out into the freezing storm, a towering, imposing figure materialized from the deep shadows of the portico. The howling wind seemed to instantly die down, as if holding its breath. The heavy, suffocating silence that followed was entirely deafening. There, blocking the only exit, stood William. His sharp, charcoal suit was immaculate, completely untouched by the weather, but his jaw was clenched so tightly a muscle feathered violently in his cheek. He hadn't boarded the train to the city. He had returned early, quietly stepping onto the porch just in time to witness the entire, horrifying spectacle. The tyrannical power dynamic in the grand foyer shattered into a million pieces instantly. The fragments of Eleanor's authority rained down on her as she froze, her breath catching in her throat, suddenly realizing she was staring directly into the eyes of a very dangerous, very angry man.