Chapter 1 - The Echo of a Door Slagging
The heavy oak doors of the mansion slammed shut with a thunderous roar.
The sound echoed through the high-arched ceilings of the marble foyer.
Victoria stood on the stone driveway, her sleek black dress catching the cold wind.
Her hands trembled as she clutched her designer handbag.
Tears of pure rage blurred her dark eyes.
She turned back to face the grand estate that had been her kingdom just moments ago.
Behind the sheer lace curtains of the second-floor window, a shadow moved.
Julian stood there, watching her without a trace of mercy.
Beside him stood Clara, still wearing her stained apron.
Victoria clenched her jaw until her teeth ached.
"You think you've won, don't you?" she whispered into the freezing night.
"You think a pathetic little servant can take my place?"
She spat onto the polished gravel driveway.
The humiliation burned inside her chest like a fiery poison.
She pulled out her phone with stiff, furious fingers.
She dialed a number she swore she would never call again.
The line rang once.
The line rang twice.
A deep, raspy voice answered on the third ring.
"I told you never to call this number unless someone was dying," the voice growled.
Victoria squeezed her phone so tightly her knuckles turned ghostly white.
"Someone is about to wish they were dead," she hissed.
"I need you to destroy Julian Vance."
"And I need you to make that dirty little maid suffer until she begs for mercy."
On the other end of the line, a low chuckling sound sent shivers down her spine.
"That will cost you everything you have left, Victoria."
Victoria stared up at the estate's glowing windows with eyes full of venom.
May you like
"Take it all," she declared coldly.
"Just leave them with nothing."
