Venom in the Shadows

The sharp, stinging echo of the slap reverberated through the elegant, dimly lit corridor. The sound bounced off the polished marble walls before settling into a suffocating silence. A vivid, angry red imprint painted itself across the sharp contours of Kaelen's cheek, standing out against his pale skin. He stood frozen, his broad chest rising as his breath hitched. Stark disbelief wrestled with a