Chapter 284

The chaos of one storm had barely settled when another tempest was brewing.

With Alexander Kingsley and Sebastian Lockwood both absent from the estate, the old adage proved true - when the lions are away, the jackals will play.

Isabella Sinclair was certain her younger sister Arabella had betrayed them to their grandfather. In a fury, she stormed into Arabella's chambers, seizing her by the hair and dragging her mercilessly to the grand parlor. She'd learned well from watching her father humiliate Sebastian earlier, and now she put those lessons to brutal use. "Isabella, stop! You're hurting me!" Arabella's tears fell freely as she felt strands of hair being torn from her scalp.

"Traitor! You deserve every ounce of pain!" Isabella spat venomously. "As your elder sister, it's my duty to discipline you for your betrayal!"

With those words, Isabella raised her hand and delivered a stinging slap across Arabella's face.

The sharp crack echoed through the room, startling the household staff.

They watched in horror as delicate Arabella crumpled to the floor like a broken doll.

The servants' eyes burned with silent fury, but as employees of the Sinclair estate, they dared not interfere in family matters. Their outrage remained bottled behind clenched teeth.

"Isabella, please! I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" Arabella covered her stinging cheek, sobs wracking her slender frame.

She knew no help would come.

She wanted to fight back, but her body felt leaden, utterly powerless.

Isabella was the golden child - their grandfather's favorite, their parents' darling. What hope did she have against such privilege?

While others could walk away, Arabella had no choice but to remain in this gilded cage. Endurance was her only survival strategy.

"Miss Arabella! Oh, Miss Arabella!"

Margaret Laurent came running, tears streaming down her face as she knelt beside Arabella, cradling her protectively. "Miss Isabella! How dare you treat your own sister this way?"

Isabella threw back her head and laughed, one hand planted on her hip, her gaze dripping with contempt. "Well, well. Seems the little mouse has found herself an ally."

"Margaret, don't! Just go!" Arabella pleaded, covering Margaret's mouth in panic. She knew her sister's cruelty knew no bounds.

"I won't leave you!" Margaret clung to Arabella fiercely, her tear-filled eyes blazing with defiance. "Even if it costs me my position, even if I'm banished from New York, I won't abandon you! Miss Isabella, what you've done is criminal! No one has the right to strike another person!"

"You insignificant worm! How dare you speak to me like that?" Isabella's laughter turned vicious as she strode forward and kicked Margaret squarely in the shoulder, sending the maid sprawling. "I hit her, so what? Go cry to the police if you dare!"

Margaret gasped as pain radiated through her shoulder, certain the bone had fractured.

The other servants seethed with impotent rage, some stepping forward only to be restrained by colleagues.

They all knew the Sinclair family's influence in New York. One wrong move could cost them not just their jobs, but their livelihoods in the city.

"Isabella!" Arabella's voice cracked like a whip.

She could endure abuse directed at herself, but seeing Margaret hurt awakened something primal within her. Her normally gentle eyes burned crimson with fury.

"What? You dare address me so informally?" Isabella recoiled slightly at her sister's unprecedented show of spine.

"Apologize to Margaret! Now!" Arabella rose unsteadily to her feet, her slight frame trembling with barely contained rage, her gaze sharp enough to draw blood.

The transformation was shocking.

"Apologize? Have you lost your mind?" Isabella scoffed.

But before she could continue, Arabella charged at her with a guttural cry, slamming into her with surprising force.

The impact sent Isabella stumbling backward before landing unceremoniously on her backside, legs flailing ridiculously in the air.

A few stifled giggles escaped the watching staff.

"Arabella!" Isabella screeched, her face purpling with humiliation and rage. She scrambled up, looking ready to commit murder. "Restrain her! Now!"

At her command, two burly maids rushed forward and pinned Arabella's arms behind her back.

"Let me go!" Arabella thrashed violently, but her delicate frame was no match for their strength.

"You wretched little bitch! No one can save you now!" Isabella's eyes glittered with malice as she rolled up her sleeves and advanced, delivering another brutal slap to Arabella's left cheek.

Arabella's vision whited out from the pain, a low moan escaping her lips as cold sweat drenched her nightgown.

Isabella smirked in satisfaction, finally venting her pent-up fury on her sister's fragile form.

"One red cheek looks uneven. Let me balance it out!" She raised her hand again.

"Touch her again and I'll break every bone in your hand."

The icy voice cut through the room like a blade.

All heads snapped toward the doorway in shock.

Isabella froze, her blood turning to ice at that terrifyingly familiar voice.

She tried to lower her raised hand, but it was too late.

Alexander Kingsley stood framed in the doorway, his towering presence radiating lethal menace.

Isabella's ferocious expression melted into docile obedience in an instant.

Through tear-blurred vision, Arabella watched as Alexander strode toward her without sparing a glance for anyone else.

All her strength left her in a rush, as if she'd been pulled from drowning depths. A soft sigh escaped her lips.

"Alexander."

That fragile whisper seemed to ignite something feral in Alexander's eyes.

For a heartbeat, his breath caught, his chest constricting with unbearable pain.