Chapter 16

The heartwarming scene hit Cyrus hard, causing the tears he had been holding back to begin falling. He was afraid of being seen in this state. Hastily, he took a few more bites, then quickly put down his cutlery and rushed off toward the study. "There's something I need to deal with at the company. Just go on without me." Only after the door was securely closed behind him—cutting him off from everyone's line of sight—did he finally bend over. This man, who had always appeared calm and in control, finally let his tears flow. Large tears rolled down from his reddened eyes, but he didn't dare to make a sound. At that moment, he felt like a trapped beast. He staggered to the computer and opened his email. A new investigation report had just arrived. With trembling hands, he opened image after image, video after video of Elise being humiliated. He watched as the young woman—the apple of their family's eye—was trampled on, pushed onto shattered glass, forced to make impossible choice