The old man stopped near the edge of the water, looking down at Elena's wet, shivering frame. His jaw clenched tightly, a vein pulsing at his temple as deep, gravelly rage boiled just beneath his controlled exterior. The stern elderly authority figure slowly lifted his head and fixed his terrifying stare straight onto Julian, who looked like he was about to faint. Who did this to my daughter? the old man demanded, his deep voice carrying a thunderous resonance that shook the quiet courtyard. The silence that followed was suffocating. Julian tried to speak, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, but no sound came out. The powerful guests who had just been laughing with Julian instantly backed away from him, leaving him completely isolated on the marble deck. Elena looked up from the pool, relief finally washing over her pale face as her father stood over her like an unshakeable fortress. The balance of power in the mansion had shifted in a single heartbeat, and Julian Vance was about to realize that some mistakes carry a price no amount of money can ever pay.