Eleanor raised a hand, calling for silence. “But,” she continued, her voice growing even colder, even sharper, “I want to make one very important point perfectly clear. This condominium is gifted only to my son, Leo…” She paused again, her eyes locking with Anna’s. “…so that, as they say, this poor little country girl can’t get her hands on any of it.”

A dead, suffocating silence fell over the room. The applause died as if it had never been. The guests froze, stunned, not knowing how to react to such a crude and humiliating display.

Leo, sitting beside Anna, dropped his gaze to his plate, his face burning with shame. He knew his mother could be cruel, but he never imagined she would do something like this, here, on his wedding day.