Chapter 3 - The Fallen DaughterVictoria walked past the frozen line of wealthy relatives, ignoring Marcus entirely as he tried to adjust his tie and step forward with a nervous smile. Her eyes landed on the floor—on the crumpled, bleeding form of Maya in her crimson dress.
In a fraction of a second, the cold exterior shattered, replaced by a devastating fury. Victoria dropped to her knees beside Maya, her tactical calmness melting away into raw, protective anguish.
"Maya," Victoria whispered, her voice cracking as she carefully cradled her younger sister’s head. "Look at me. I'm here. You're safe now."
Maya opened her eyes, tears streaming down her pale face. "Victoria... the baby... they..." She lost consciousness, her hand slipping away from Victoria’s grip.
Victoria’s head snapped up. The look in her eyes made even the hardened tactical guards take a half-step back. She stood slowly, her black blazer catching the afternoon light as she turned to face Elena and Marcus.
"You..." Victoria’s voice was barely above a whisper, yet it echoed with lethal clarity across the silent courtyard. "You laid hands on my sister."
Elena clutched her cane tighter, her voice trembling despite her best efforts. "Your... your sister? She’s a nobody! A parasite trying to steal our wealth! And if you know what's good for you, you'll—"
Crack.
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Before Elena could finish her sentence, one of Victoria’s elite guards stepped forward and fired a warning shot into the air, the deafening blast shattering the windows of the grand entrance. Elena shrieked, stumbling backward, nearly falling into her own swimming pool.
"Silence," Victoria commanded, her voice cutting through the smoke. She walked toward Elena, closing the distance with predatory grace. "You asked who I am. Let me remind you. I am Victoria Vance. And the company your family has been trying to swallow for the past year? Vance Global. You just assaulted its primary shareholder... and my flesh and blood."
