Chapter 2
For a fraction of a second, the universe seemed to stop spinning. The vibrant colors of the floral centerpieces blurred into a sickening smear in Victoria’s vision. The horrific sound of porcelain shattering against marble echoed in her ears, followed by the immediate, ragged, terrified wail of her daughter.
"Lily!" Victoria screamed.
She dropped her smartphone onto the table. It clattered loudly against a wine glass, but she didn't care. Victoria lunged forward, her high heels slipping slightly on the polished floor, entirely uncaring of the torn hem of her sapphire evening gown. She dropped to her knees right in the middle of the shattered porcelain, ignoring the sharp sting as a piece of the broken plate sliced into her shin.
"Mommy! Mommy, it hurts!" Lily sobbed hysterically, her small hands clutching at the tulle of her flower-girl dress.
"I have you, baby. I have you," Victoria whispered frantically, her hands moving rapidly over her daughter’s arms and legs, checking for blood, checking for broken bones. She hauled the six-year-old up from the cold floor and pressed her tightly against her chest. Lily buried her face into Victoria's neck, her tears soaking the expensive silk, her entire body shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.
A heavy, oppressive silence hung over the surrounding tables, broken only by the whispers of the horrified guests.
"Did Eleanor just push that child?" an aunt murmured from two tables away.
"Good lord, she could have cracked her skull open," a family friend whispered in disbelief.
Victoria glared up at her mother-in-law, her maternal terror rapidly alchemizing into a blinding, incandescent rage. "Are you insane? You could have killed her!"
Eleanor simply adjusted her pearl necklace, entirely unbothered. "She was rocking back in her chair. I merely attempted to correct her posture. It is a tragedy she lacks balance."
"You kicked it," Victoria snarled, rising to her feet while holding Lily tightly to her chest. "I saw you kick it, Eleanor. Everyone saw you."
"I saw no such thing," Richard interrupted, stepping out from behind the table. His dress shoes crunched heavily over the broken porcelain as he closed the distance between them.
Victoria turned her furious gaze on him. "Stay out of this, Richard."
Richard ignored her. Instead of looking at his weeping niece, a twisted, ugly sneer spread across his handsome face. He pointed a rigid finger downward, gesturing toward the shadows beneath the banquet table, exactly where Lily’s chair had just been resting.
May you like
Lying there, half-concealed by the trailing white tablecloth, was a sleek, silver smartphone.
"Toss her," Richard demanded, his voice theatrical and booming, designed to draw the attention of every guest in the room. He looked at Victoria with utter disgust. "She took my phone. Next, she'll take the valuables."
