The Serpent's Seed

At seven, a leather belt was my father's law. But when he brought a guest home to witness my punishment, I discovered a new weapon: his pride. That day, a terrified boy gave the performance of his life, trading a beating for his father's public humiliation. It was my first taste of power, the first act in a lifelong war against the narcissist who raised me. He thought he broke me. He has no idea what he created.