Chapter 5
Within ninety seconds, the sprawling drawing room was completely empty, save for Victor, Estelle, Marin, Sadie, and the heavy security detail standing silently by the mirrored walls. The bright, airy luminosity of the room now illuminated only the raw, ugly truth of the betrayal.
Estelle stood trembling by the carved walnut table, her hand still desperately clutching the evening bag and the small brass key. She realized with a sinking horror that the political immunity she had relied upon was entirely useless inside the walls of the Hawthorne estate.
Victor looked down at Marin. The gentle maid was still kneeling by the dollhouse, her delicate features pale with shock, yet she had stood her ground. She was holding Sadie close, shielding the little girl from the intense confrontation.
"Marin," Victor said, his tone softening only marginally as he addressed her. "Take Sadie upstairs to my private quarters. Lock the doors. Allow no one inside but my personal guard."
"Yes, Mr. Hawthorne," Marin whispered, her voice shaking with adrenaline. She gently took the six-year-old girl’s hand, offering her a small, watery smile. "Come along, Sadie. Let's go upstairs and see what Santa left for us."
Sadie looked up at her father, then at Estelle, before clinging tightly to Marin's white apron. As the maid and the child hurried out of the room, their footsteps echoing softly against the marble, Victor turned his full, terrifying attention back to the woman in the emerald gown.
"Now," Victor said, taking a slow, predatory step toward her, his open hand still extended. "The key."
"I won't give it to you!" Estelle shrieked, backing away until she bumped into a cream marble column. "If I give you the key, you will kill me! My silence is the only leverage I have left to walk out of this mansion alive!"
"Do you believe leverage exists for a woman who has just admitted to kidnapping my mother?" Victor countered, stepping closer, his imposing frame blocking her escape.
"My father will not stand for this!" Estelle cried, her diamond earrings swinging wildly. "He is a powerful man, Victor! He will bring the entire Vane syndicate down on your head! You cannot touch me!"
"Do you expect me to fear a corrupt politician more than I despise a monster standing in my home?" Victor asked, his dark eyes narrowing into cold, unforgiving slits.
He didn't wait for her to answer. He turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the four heavily armed guards stationed near the service doors.
"Are you men going to secure this traitor, or must I break her fingers myself to retrieve that key?" Victor asked, his command absolute.
Two massive enforcers stepped forward instantly, moving with terrifying, synchronized efficiency. They grabbed Estelle roughly by the arms, entirely ignoring the expensive fabric of her luxurious emerald gown.
"Get your hands off me!" Estelle screamed as they pried the evening clutch from her manicured fingers. "I am Estelle Vane! I am going to be the lady of this house! Victor, call them off!"
One of the enforcers snapped the delicate chain of the clutch, isolating the small brass key, and handed it respectfully to Victor.
"Take her to the holding cells in the sub-basement," Victor commanded, his voice completely devoid of emotion as he pocketed the key. "Ensure the temperature is dropped, and that she is stripped of all jewelry and communication devices."
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"You are a dead man, Victor!" Estelle wailed as they hauled her through the heavy doors. "You hear me? You are a dead man!"
"We will see," Victor murmured, listening as the heavy oak doors slammed shut, instantly cutting off her frantic, echoing screams.
