Chapter 13 - The Midnight Visit
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Victor walked into his mother’s bedroom, closing the heavy oak door firmly behind him. The room was dim, the heavy velvet curtains drawn tight against the morning sun. It smelled of antiseptic and stale air.
He walked over to the massive bed and sat down gently on the edge of the mattress.
Sylvia lay perfectly still, her frail body looking impossibly small beneath the thick duvet. Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow but steady.
“Ma,” Victor whispered, reaching out to gently take her bruised, fragile hand in his.
Sylvia’s eyes fluttered open. For a moment, they were cloudy and confused. But as her vision focused on her son’s face, a profound, desperate clarity washed over her expression. The sheer terror he had seen on the security monitors vanished, replaced by an overwhelming relief.
Tears immediately welled in Sylvia’s eyes, spilling over her wrinkled cheeks. She tried to squeeze his hand, her weak fingers trembling against his strong grip. She opened her mouth, trying desperately to form words, but only a soft, dry gasp escaped.
“Shh. Don't try to speak, Ma,” Victor said, his own voice cracking with a fierce, protective emotion he rarely showed the world. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
Sylvia’s eyes darted frantically toward the bedroom door, then back to Victor. She was trying to warn him. She was trying to tell him about the monster living in his house.
“I know,” Victor whispered, leaning close to her ear. “I know everything, Ma. I know what she’s been giving you. I know what she poured on the floor. I know about Marta.”
Sylvia stopped struggling. Her eyes widened in shock, then slowly closed as a heavy, profound peace settled over her features. The burden of fighting alone had finally been lifted.
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“You don't have to be afraid anymore,” Victor promised, his voice turning into a cold, terrifying vow. “She is never going to hurt you again. I am going to end this tonight.”
He sat with her for twenty minutes, holding her hand until she drifted into a natural, safe sleep. When Victor finally stood up and walked out of the bedroom, the devoted son was gone. The boss of the Costa syndicate had taken his place, and he was ready for war.
