Collecting herself, she spoke, "Are you intent on overpowering me again? Have I become nothing more than an object for your lust within this hollow shell of a marriage?"

His gaze sharpened. "Is that your belief?"

Her retort was tinged with bitterness. "What else should I think?"

Standoffish and unyielding, they faced off until Leonel closed the gap between them, leaning in, his presence overwhelming as he framed her with his arms on the sofa. Their breaths mingled, his nose nearly touching hers.

His tone was icy. “Evelyn is questioning if we're splitting up. The servants' whispers fill the house, and their fear of the future looms large. What do you presume our children make of this? Imagine their distress when the truth unfolds."