Their family was strict—kneeling in the ancestral hall or being punished by family rules was already harsh enough.

But Ray? He didn't just punish. He beat like he wanted to kill.

Mason spoke up, each word wrapped in a chilling coldness.

"To keep Maxwell from finding out, we're doing the paternity test quietly. It has to be foolproof, no room for tampering. So it'll be run multiple times."

Waterfield finally understood why Mason was ...