Chapter 3 - The Crash
The collision was entirely apocalyptic. The massive chandelier smashed into the polished marble floor with a deafening, thunderous roar that physically shook the foundations of the historic mansion. Thousands of pristine crystal prisms, heavy brass arms, and thick iron chains shattered simultaneously, exploding outward in a lethal, glittering shrapnel wave. The force of the impact pulverized the center of the hall, gouging deep trenches into the stone.
Instantly, the grand hall plunged into absolute darkness as the main electrical circuits, tied directly to the antique fixture, violently shorted out. The once-sophisticated gala devolved into a scene of pure, unadulterated chaos. Guests shrieked in absolute terror, their voices echoing in the pitch-black void. People scrambled frantically, slipping on the slick marble and the countless shards of broken glass, desperate to escape the center of the room. The string quartet’s music had been replaced by the horrifying sounds of weeping, shouting, and the crunching of debris underfoot.
Dust, thick and choking, billowed into the air, clouding the emergency backup lights that flickered weakly to life along the perimeter of the room. As the heavy dust began to settle, casting eerie, shifting shadows across the devastation, Valeria slowly lifted her head from the carpet. Her ears were ringing with a high-pitched whine, and her entire body trembled from the sheer shock of the near-miss.
She kept one protective hand firmly over her womb, coughing as she inhaled the plaster dust.
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"Daniel..." she called out, her voice raspy and weak.
She looked frantically around the dim, ruined space beside her. She expected to see his strong silhouette rising from the debris, offering his hand to help her up. But the space next to her was empty. She did not see him anywhere.
