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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t cry. When they finally cut me down, I picked up my phone and called my five gangster brothers. \u201cMake his entire family beg for mercy,\u201d I whispered. Then the front gates suddenly slammed shut.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The thirtieth strike landed while my husband\u2019s mistress smiled beneath the crystal chandelier, and that was the exact moment I stopped thinking of Isaac Vance as my husband.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe now you\u2019ll learn your place,\u201d he laughed, while fifty high-society guests at my own birthday party stood frozen around me.<\/p>\n
My wrists were tied above my head to a decorative wooden ceiling beam in the ballroom of the Vance estate. The public humiliation hurt far more than the physical blows. Isaac had transformed my thirty-fourth birthday into a sadistic public punishment because I had accidentally spilled red wine across Clover Vance\u2019s silver designer dress.<\/p>\n
Clover\u2014the woman he had been sleeping with for eight months.<\/p>\n
I had discovered their affair three weeks earlier. Isaac didn\u2019t know that. Neither did Clover.<\/p>\n
\u201cApologize,\u201d Isaac ordered, stepping closer with a leather riding crop in his hand.<\/p>\n
I stared at him. He expected tears. He had always mistaken my quiet nature for complete surrender.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d I said quietly.<\/p>\n
Clover smiled, taking a slow sip of her champagne.<\/p>\n
Then I finished. \u201cI\u2019m sorry you think this ends here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The entire room went dead silent.<\/p>\n
Isaac grabbed my chin roughly. \u201cStill pretending you\u2019re important, Flora?\u201d<\/p>\n
His mother, Wendy, laughed from beside the champagne tower. \u201cShe came from nothing. She should be grateful we allowed her into this family at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was the convenient story the Vance family told everyone. Poor Flora Sterling. Quiet Flora. Lucky Flora.<\/p>\n
They knew I had five older brothers, but they didn\u2019t know much else.<\/p>\n
Years ago, my brothers had reputations powerful enough that people still lowered their voices when speaking the Sterling name. The Sterling family had since transitioned that influence into legitimate power. Noah ran an international private security firm. Leo owned global logistics companies. Julian was a top-tier criminal defense attorney. Marcus specialized in high-stakes forensic accounting. Caleb handled high-level intelligence and private investigations.<\/p>\n
Isaac called them \u201cgangsters\u201d behind their backs because it made him feel superior. I had never bothered to correct him.<\/p>\n
Eventually, one terrified catering employee hurried over and cut the ropes, letting me down.<\/p>\n
My knees almost collapsed on the marble floor, but I forced myself to stand tall.<\/p>\n
Isaac lifted his champagne glass toward the crowd. \u201cParty\u2019s over, everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I whispered.<\/p>\n
I walked steadily to the head table where my phone lay beside my purse. Every eye in the room followed my movement.<\/p>\n
I dialed Noah. He answered on the very first ring.<\/p>\n
\u201cFlora?\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked straight at Isaac. At Clover. At Wendy. At Isaac\u2019s father, Arthur, who had spent the entire dinner boasting about the Vance family\u2019s billion-dollar construction empire.<\/p>\n
Then I said the exact words Isaac would remember for the rest of his life:<\/p>\n
\u201cMake his entire family beg for mercy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence descended on the ballroom.<\/p>\n
Noah\u2019s voice instantly shifted, dropping an octave into pure steel. \u201cWhat did he do to you, Flora?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll explain when you arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Outside, the heavy iron front gates of the estate suddenly slammed shut with a deafening metallic clang.<\/p>\n
Isaac frowned, looking toward the windows. \u201cWhat the hell?\u201d<\/p>\n
Outside, five black SUVs rolled slowly up the long brick driveway, blinding the ballroom with their high beams. For the first time that evening, the arrogant smirk vanished from Isaac\u2019s face.<\/p>\n
I picked up my coat from the chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou wanted me to learn my place, Isaac,\u201d I told him softly. \u201cNow you\u2019re about to learn yours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Noah entered the ballroom first. He wore a tailored charcoal suit, not a leather jacket. No visible weapons. No loud threats.<\/p>\n
That quiet authority frightened Isaac far more.<\/p>\n
Behind him filed in Leo, Julian, Marcus, and Caleb. Five men. Five calm, unyielding faces. Five entirely different ways to obliterate an arrogant family without breaking a single law.<\/p>\n
Isaac stepped forward, trying to assert authority. \u201cThis is private property!\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian offered a thin, razor-sharp smile. \u201cExcellent. Then the smart-home security cameras are private property too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Isaac\u2019s jaw tightened.<\/p>\n
Caleb lifted his tablet. \u201cI already secured the encrypted cloud backups from your server ten minutes ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wendy snapped from the corner, \u201cGet these thugs out of my house!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy house,\u201d I corrected her firmly.<\/p>\n
She turned toward me, confusion rapidly replacing her contempt.<\/p>\n
Isaac let out a forced, nervous laugh. \u201cFlora, stop embarrassing yourself in front of our guests.\u201d<\/p>\n