Chapter 4 - The Crimson Gown in Flight
Victoria Vance did not offer a single word of defense, her calculated mind calculating survival alone.
She spun on the black heels of her designer shoes and bolted toward the arched entrance of the dining room.
The crimson satin train of her gown whipped behind her like a banner of uncovered guilt.
Arthur did not hesitate; he was across the room before her high heels could cross the threshold.
He intercepted her beside the mahogany banquet table, planting his large frame directly in front of the ornate doorway.
Victoria clawed frantically at his chest, attempting to scratch and shove her way past the man whose wealth she had sought to steal.
"Get out of my way, Arthur! You don’t understand anything!" she hissed, her voice stripped bare of its seductive warmth.
Arthur caught her wrists, his face white with the cold, murderous wrath of a betrayed protector.
With a single, sharp open-handed motion, his palm struck across her cheek, silencing her venomous tongue instantly.
Before she could recover her balance, Arthur grabbed her shoulders and shoved her violently away from his daughter and wife.
Victoria stumbled backward, losing her footing on the slick floorboards before crashing hard against the long dining table.
Porcelain plates flew into the air, silver cutlery clattered across the floor, and half-empty wine carafes tipped and spilled.
A torrent of red wine and roasted delicacies splattered across the front of her priceless crimson gown.
She collapsed among the shattered centerpieces, gasping for air, clutching her burning cheek in dazed humiliation.
The dinner guests scrambled further back into the shadows of the marble columns, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.
Arthur did not even look down at the ruined woman as he turned toward the entrance where two armed guards stood frozen.
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"Call the cops! Now!" Arthur commanded, his authoritative roar leaving no room for hesitation or delay.
The security guards immediately drew their communication radios and began barking codes for Chicago police and medical units.
