Chapter 7 - The Stepmother's Arrival
Valeria’s head snapped upward, her eyes tracing the source of the cold, venomous voice. Standing at the very top landing of the grand, sweeping staircase was Veronica, Daniel’s stepmother.
The emergency lighting cast long, sinister shadows across her face, highlighting her sharp, aristocratic features. She looked completely out of place amidst the panic and destruction. She was dressed in an impeccably tailored, elegant black evening gown, perfectly pristine and untouched by the dust that coated everyone else in the room.
In her right hand, she casually held a long, wicked-looking hunting knife, its polished steel blade gleaming dangerously in the dim light. In her left hand, hanging loosely by her side, she held a heavy-duty pair of industrial wire cutters.
Daniel’s eyes widened in horror as he took in the sight of the tools. The realization hit him with the force of a physical blow. He shifted his gaze from the wire cutters to his stepmother's impassive face.
"You," he choked out, coughing weakly. "You cut the main cables."
Veronica did not deny it. Instead, she began a slow, deliberate descent down the marble steps. The sharp clack of her expensive high heels echoed rhythmically, a terrifying metronome counting down the seconds in a room that had suddenly gone dead silent. The contrast between the panicked, bleeding crowd and her terrifyingly calm demeanor paralyzed everyone.
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"The accident was a failure," she announced loudly, her voice devoid of any warmth or humanity. "It seems if you want a job done correctly, you must do it yourself. Now, I am going to have to finish off all three of you."
She continued her descent, her eyes locked onto Valeria’s swollen belly with a look of pure, unadulterated hatred.
