The weight of the evening’s emotions pressed heavily on Norwan’s chest, yet the silence of the moment seemed to deepen the storm brewing within him. He held the wineglass loosely, the amber liquid sloshing with each small movement, but it did little to quell the fire inside. His thoughts were tangled, each one sharper than the last.

“Why does it feel like nothing is ever enough for Grego?” he wondered bitterly.

He’d tried to be patient. He’d asked—no, pleaded—for freedom. And what did he get in return? Natalie, the woman he loved, tethered like a prized possession, while her father continued to tighten his grip on their lives. He couldn’t...