The clock had just struck 8 in the morning, and Ashton found himself seated on an ornate chair positioned on the meticulously manicured front lawn of the sprawling mansion. The atmosphere was tense as the men who had audaciously attacked Belle stood in a solemn queue before him. A hushed silence enveloped the onlooking crowd, their faces pallid and contorted with a palpable sense of fear. Ashton, a man known for his leadership, provision, and civility, found himself momentarily veering into the realm of cruelty.
His piercing gaze surveyed the assembly, and a heavy weight of authority emanated from him as he prepared to mete out justice. The unspoken rule of absolute loyalty between master and servant hung in the air, but the consequences of betrayal were equally unambiguous.
In this char
