Chapter 16 - The Setup (Part 2)
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When Elvira opened her eyes, her head was pounding with a sickening, rhythmic thud. The smell of fresh baking bread from the estate kitchen was gone, replaced by the damp, metallic scent of an abandoned warehouse.
She tried to rub her eyes, but her arms wouldn't move. Her wrists were bound tightly behind her back with heavy zip-ties, securing her to a rigid metal chair.
Panic crashed over her in a freezing wave.
“Wake up, sleeping beauty.”
The voice was sweet, aristocratic, and dripping with venom.
Elvira blinked, her vision finally clearing. She was sitting in the center of a cavernous, dimly lit warehouse. Standing ten feet away, wearing a pristine white trench coat and a victorious smile, was Isabella Thorne.
“Isabella,” Elvira gasped, struggling against the plastic ties.
“You really thought you could steal my life and get away with it?” Isabella sneered, slowly walking toward the chair. Her high heels clicked ominously against the concrete floor.
“I didn't steal anything,” Elvira spat, her defiance flaring despite her terror. “You threw it away when you locked two children in a freezer.”
Isabella’s smile vanished, replaced by a flash of ugly rage. She stepped forward and backhanded Elvira across the face. The slap echoed sharply in the empty warehouse, leaving a burning red welt on Elvira’s cheek.
“Shut your mouth,” Isabella hissed, grabbing Elvira by the jaw, her manicured nails digging into the skin. “You are nothing but a poor, pathetic maid. You think Lorenzo actually loves you? He’s using you as a placeholder because you saved his precious niece and nephew. But today, you are going to be the reason he loses everything.”
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Elvira tasted blood in her mouth. “He’ll kill you for this.”
“He’s welcome to try,” Isabella laughed cruelly, letting go of Elvira’s face. She turned to the shadows behind her. “Bring me the phone. It’s time to call the groom.”
