Chapter 4
The sheer, unadulterated shock of Emily’s declaration paralyzed the room. David Carter, the seventy-year-old patriarch, gripped the edges of his armchair, his formal suit suddenly feeling far too tight. For years, the Carters had operated under the collective delusion that their aristocratic bloodline made them superior, conveniently ignoring the fact that Emily’s tech empire was the sole financial pillar keeping them out of bankruptcy.
"How dare you speak to us this way in our own home!" David roared from his seat near the towering birthday cake, his face turning an unhealthy shade of purple.
"It is not your home, David," Emily replied, her voice remaining eerily, terrifyingly calm. "I hold the deed. And you are all officially trespassing."
Michael, blinded by his bruised ego and the alcohol surging through his system, lunged forward. He intended to grab Emily by the throat, to force her into submission and silence her before the rest of his elite guests realized he was nothing more than a kept man.
Emily saw the movement before it even fully manifested.
She took a swift step to the side, ensuring Olivia and Megan were completely clear of the blast radius. Furious, her blood boiling with the adrenaline of a mother protecting her young, Emily turned toward the massive, heavily laden banquet table that dominated the center of the room.
The table was covered in priceless crystal glassware, towering seafood displays, lit candelabras, and thousands of dollars worth of catered, gourmet food.
Emily gritted her teeth, her fair, rosy features twisting into a mask of pure, unadulterated vengeance. She grabbed the heavy, polished edge of the custom mahogany table with both hands. Utilizing a surge of strength she didn't know she possessed, she lifted the edge and violently overturned the entire massive structure.
The crash was catastrophic.
To the absolute horror of everyone in the room, the heavy table flipped completely onto its side. Hundreds of crystal glasses shattered against the hardwood floor in a deafening, explosive cacophony. Bowls of hot soup, massive platters of roasted meats, and elaborate floral arrangements rained down, destroying the pristine, brilliantly lit aesthetic of the room. The expensive catering splashed across the shoes and hemlines of the screaming, retreating guests.
Michael leaped backward, shouting in terror as a cascade of hot gravy and shattered china narrowly missed his expensive suit.
The noise slowly subsided, leaving only the sound of dripping liquids and the horrified, gasping breaths of the Carter family. The dining hall looked like a war zone.
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Emily stood amidst the wreckage, her breathing heavy but her posture impeccably straight. She looked at David, then at Jessica, and finally at Michael. She bared her teeth, a fierce, predator's snarl distorting her elegant beauty.
"Oops," Emily snarled, her voice dripping with the same sarcastic, mocking venom Jessica had used just moments before. She looked at the ruined feast that was supposed to celebrate the Carter patriarch. "I accidentally knocked over the last delicious meal of your lives."
