Chapter 4 - A Shocking Voice Echoes Across The Foggy Ridge
A slow, rhythmic clapping sound echoed from the shadowed timber pavilion behind them on the cliff path. Both women spun around to find an elderly man stepping out from beneath the sprawling oak trees.
Viktor Mercer stood leaning on a solid silver-handled cane, wearing a dark wool overcoat despite the mild coastal air. His sharp, colorless eyes surveyed the scene with absolute calm, as if watching a tragedy unfold on a stage.
"Family drama always plays out best near deep water, doesn't it?" Viktor remarked, his voice smooth and chillingly devoid of warmth. Maren felt a surge of pure, unadulterated hatred rise from the depths of her soul.
"Stay away from my daughter, Viktor," Maren warned, stepping directly between the patriarch and Celestine. Viktor offered a thin, mocking smile, tapping the tip of his cane against the packed dirt path.
"Your daughter, Maren? Legal documentation filed three years ago says otherwise," Viktor reminded her with clinical precision. Celestine flinched at the patriarch's words, clutching Elodie tighter against her chest in panic.
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"You threatened to ruin my family if I didn't sign those adoption papers," Celestine spat back, her voice shaking with rage. Viktor’s smile faded instantly, replaced by a dark, predatory glare that silenced the coastal wind.
"You were paid handsomely to raise the heir to the Mercer shipping empire, Celestine, not to develop maternal attachments," Viktor stated coldly. He took two slow steps forward, closing the distance between them with terrifying authority.
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