Chapter 6 - The Heavy Steel
Rebeca’s scream echoed off the high, vaulted ceilings of the kitchen, a sound completely devoid of human empathy. She lunged forward, her hands slamming onto the marble island.
"Because of that child, I am going to lose everything!" Rebeca shrieked, the veins in her neck bulging. She wasn't just talking about the ruined property deeds; she was talking about the inheritance, the house, the life she believed she was owed. The spilled juice was merely the spark that ignited a massive powder keg of resentment.
Mateo grabbed Sofía’s hand, yanking her off the tall stool. "Run, Sofi! Run upstairs!" he yelled, his voice cracking with sheer terror.
Sofía was paralyzed, sobbing hysterically as she stared at the terrifying woman across the counter. Mateo didn't wait for her to process the command. He grabbed her around the waist and physically dragged her toward the kitchen doors.
Rebeca’s eyes darted around the room, landing on the heavy, magnetic strip that held Daniel’s professional culinary tools. Her hand shot out, her fingers wrapping around the thick, solid steel handle of a heavy meat tenderizer. It was a brutal, medieval-looking tool, designed to crush and break. She pulled it from the magnet with a sharp, terrifying scrape of metal.
"You are a curse on this house!" Rebeca screamed, stepping around the island, her wine-colored robe billowing behind her like dark smoke. "Daniel only loves you because he feels guilty! He doesn't actually want you!"
Mateo pushed Sofía through the swinging kitchen doors, throwing a desperate glance over his shoulder. The sight of Rebeca advancing with the heavy steel tool in her hand sent a jolt of pure, primal adrenaline through his ten-year-old body. He realized with absolute clarity that this wasn't just a punishment; this was an execution. She wanted to hurt them. She wanted to permanently eliminate the obstacles standing between her and the estate.
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"Keep going!" Mateo shoved his sister toward the grand staircase. "Don't stop, Sofía! Go to the nursery and lock the door!"
They scrambled up the hardwood stairs, their small feet slipping in their socks. Below them, Rebeca began to climb, the heavy steel tool gleaming coldly in the morning light. She was not rushing; she was walking with the slow, terrifying purpose of a predator who knows its prey is trapped.
