Chapter 6 - A Mother's Fury
As we walked back down the grand staircase,
I saw the paper necklace lying on the floor.
It must have fallen during the confrontation.
I stopped and picked it up,
smoothing out the crumpled edges.
It was a simple thing,
just crayons and cheap paper,
but it was the only real thing in this entire building.
I tucked it into my coat pocket,
right next to my heart.
Sophia was waiting at the bottom with Marcus,
her face tired but calm.
She didn't fully understand what had happened,
but she knew her uncles were there,
and she knew she was safe.
"Mommy,
where's the necklace?"
she asked.
"I have it,
sweetie,"
I said,
hugging her tight.
"I’m going to keep it forever."
We reached the front doors,
where a fleet of black SUVs was waiting.
The rain was pouring down now,
washing the city clean.
Just as I was about to step into the car,
Dominic came running out of the lobby.
"Vivienne!
Wait!"
he cried,
his tuxedo soaked through.
He tried to reach for the car door,
but Victor’s security team blocked him.
"Let me talk to her!"
he shouted,
his voice desperate.
"Vivienne,
you can't take Sophia!"
I stopped and looked at him through the rain.
"I’m not taking her,
Dominic,"
I said.
"I’m saving her."
"I’m saving her from growing up thinking that your kind of 'success' is the only thing that matters."
"I’m saving her from a man who thinks a fiancée is an 'upgrade'."
"You don't deserve her name,"
"and you certainly don't deserve her love."
Dominic fell to his knees on the wet pavement.
"I'm sorry!"
he sobbed.
"Please,
Vivienne!"
I didn't answer.
I stepped into the car and closed the door.
The glass was tinted,
and suddenly,
he was just a blurry shape in the dark.
Victor sat beside me,
his hand finding mine.
"It’s over,
Viv,"
he said softly.
"He can't touch you anymore."
"I know,"
I said,
leaning my head back against the leather seat.
"I just wish I had called you sooner."
"We were always waiting,"
Victor replied.
"We just needed you to be ready."
As the car pulled away,
I looked back at the company headquarters.
The lights were still on,
but the empire was gone.
May you like
The Sterling storm had passed through,
and only the truth remained.
