No, Mother. It doesn’t happen to normal people,” Marcus snapped, his furious gaze still locked on Anna. “This is what happens when you’re distracted and careless.”

Anna lowered her head, the familiar sting of tears threatening to fall. She knew the drill. The best course of action was to be silent, to not provoke his anger further. But tonight was different. Tonight, she was ready.

The tension in the room stretched to a breaking point. Arthur watched the scene unfold in silence, as if it were a common, uninteresting play. Eleanor nervously fiddled with her napkin.

Without warning, Marcus shot up from his chair. He grabbed Anna’s arm, his grip like a vise. “Come on,” he snarled, pulling her towards the exit. “I need to have a word with you.”