Chapter 6 - Dead Weight
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The room was so quiet you could hear the tick of the grand grandfather clock in the corner.
I slowly pushed myself up off the cold marble floor. Every muscle in my upper body screamed in agony. My lip was split wide open, and blood dripped steadily onto the collar of my beige coat, staining the fabric a dark red.
Vanessa stood up from her sofa, smoothing down her silk dress. She walked over to Victor, placing a delicate hand on his trembling shoulder.
She looked down at me with pure, unadulterated contempt.
“Get out,” Vanessa sneered, her voice cold enough to freeze water. “You’re nothing but dead weight dragging down our family’s image. Look at you. You’re disgusting.”
Victor didn't contradict her. He looked at the floor, refusing to meet my eyes, his fist still clenched tightly at his side.
I wiped the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand. I didn't say a word to either of them.
I walked slowly across the grand foyer, my steps steady despite the pain shooting through my hips. I stopped near the shattered marble wall, knelt down, and carefully picked up the pieces of my husband’s brass compass.
I placed the dented metal frame and the broken glass back into the torn brown paper wrapper.
I stood tall, pulled my coat tightly around my shoulders, and walked toward the heavy mahogany doors.
Neither Victor nor Vanessa said another word.
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They believed they had broken an old woman. They believed they had established their absolute dominance over my life, my wealth, and my legacy.
They didn't realize that I was the one who had drawn the blueprints.
