I never touched her!" Richard pleaded, his voice cracking with disbelief and deep hurt.
Before Ethan could swing again, the heavy oak door burst open further, and Clara, Ethan’s wife, rushed into the center of the room. Her eyes were wide with panic, her finger pointing accusingly at Richard as she stepped between the two men.
"Ethan, you just hit your father!" Clara screamed, her voice shrill and trembling.
Richard staggered back, pointing a shaky finger back at Clara, a look of profound betrayal crossing his aged features. "He attacked me!" Richard insisted, looking desperately at his daughter-in-law for some shred of sanity.
Ethan’s chest heaved as he glared down at his father, his breathing ragged. For months, the atmosphere in the house had been deteriorating. Small