Chapter 2: The Sound of Shattered Glass
"Please... Victoria..." Clara whispered, her voice cracking with absolute physical and emotional exhaustion. She wiped blindly at her eyes, her breath catching painfully in her chest. "My fever is burning... I just need an hour to rest... please..."
"Did I give you permission to speak my name?" Victoria hissed, her elegant facade instantly dissolving into a mask of pure, unadulterated venom.
SPLASH!
With a vicious flick of her wrist, Victoria emptied the remaining half of her chilled white wine directly over Clara’s head. The alcohol stung the fresh cuts on the girl’s cheek, causing her to cry out in agony as she collapsed forward, her forehead pressing against the wet, freezing marble floor.
"You are nothing in this house but a shadow," Victoria laughed mockingly, enjoying the absolute display of dominance. "A piece of trash meant to be stepped on. Your father clearly abandoned you to the world, and now you belong to me. Security! Come clear this mess up—"
BANG!
The massive, twelve-foot-high reinforced oak front doors of the mansion swung open with a violent, concussive force that rattled the crystal chandelier overhead. The heavy mountain air rushed into the foyer, cutting through the heavy, suffocating scent of Victoria's expensive perfume.
Victoria froze on the staircase, the empty wine glass slipping from her fingers and shattering into a thousand glittering shards against the steps.
Standing in the threshold was Arthur Vance.
He wore a dark, tailored travel coat, his tall, imposing frame casting a long shadow across the brilliant foyer. He had bypassed his entire security detail, landing his private helicopter on the estate’s lawn an hour ahead of schedule because a strange, persistent knot of worry had formed in his chest.
"Arthur, darling!" Victoria instantly recovered her composure, her voice morphing back into a high-society purr as she stood up from the stairs. She threw her hands out, putting on a radiant, performative smile. "You're back early! What a wonderful surprise. I was just instructing the new maid on her duties—"
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Arthur didn't hear a single syllable. He didn't look at his wife's elegant black lace dress, nor did he offer a warm embrace.
His eyes had locked onto the floor.
