Julian grabbed a heavy wool blanket from the ottoman—a gift he’d bought for himself—and draped it over their shoulders. He sat on the rug between them, the firelight casting long, flickering shadows against the walls. For the first time in years, they weren't barking orders. They were just three people huddled against the cold.
It was a game they played—a choreographed performance of helplessness designed to keep him in orbit. But tonight was different. The storm had knocked out the main power grid, and the backup generator was struggling to keep the lights flickering. LifeSelector-XmasWithYourSpoiledStep-Sisters.rar
"The truffles are stuck in a snowbank three miles away," Julian said, stepping into the dim light of the parlor. "And the wine is as cold as it's going to get without a freezer. Maybe for once, we just… sit down?" Julian grabbed a heavy wool blanket from the
The sisters exchanged a look of pure bewilderment. The idea of doing nothing was foreign to them. But as the last of the generator's fuel sputtered and the mansion plunged into a velvet darkness lit only by the dying embers in the fireplace, the power dynamic shifted. They were just three people huddled against the cold