Chapter 2 - Maren Reaches The Edge Of The Coastal Cliffs
The biting salt wind whipped Maren’s hair across her face as she sprinted across the dew-soaked lawn of the Mercer estate. Ahead of her, the manicured gardens gave way to jagged limestone drops where the Atlantic waves crashed violently against the rocks.
She gripped the blood-stained silver bracelet in her right hand so tightly that the metal edges bit into her palm. Every instinct in her body screamed that Elodie was in immediate danger, pushed to the absolute brink by a family built on secrets.
As she reached the timber guardrail overlooking the steep cliff path, she caught sight of a flash of emerald silk. Celestine was standing near the edge, her posture rigid as she clutched Elodie tightly against her chest.
"Celestine, stop right there!" Maren’s voice pierced through the roar of the crashing surf below. Celestine froze mid-step, slowly turning her pale face around to look back at the frantic biological mother.
"You shouldn't have followed us, Maren," Celestine called out, her voice trembling with a mixture of terror and fierce defiance. Elodie buried her face in Celestine's shoulder, whimpering softly about the cold wind stinging her small wrists.
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Maren took a slow, measured step forward down the slippery dirt path, keeping her hands visible to avoid panicking them. "Let me take my daughter, Celestine, before someone gets hurt out here on these cliffs."
"You don't understand what they will do to her if I let you take her," Celestine cried out, stepping closer to the sheer drop. Maren’s heart hammered against her ribs as she realized Celestine wasn't running away to hurt the child—she was running away to hide her.
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