Chapter 2 - The Queen’s Arrival
Victoria Thorne moved with the terrifying grace of an apex predator. Dressed in a sharp, bespoke black pantsuit, her dark hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail, she radiated an aura of unyielding authority. Her piercing eyes locked instantly onto the scene by the pool: Mia lying motionless and bleeding on the concrete, and Eleanor holding a weapon with trembling, wide-eyed shock.
Victoria didn't run. She walked with slow, deliberate, deafening steps, her guards parting like the Red Sea behind her. The silence among the party guests was absolute; you could hear the distant crash of the ocean waves against the cliffs below.
Eleanor dropped the bat. It clattered loudly against the marble. Color drained completely from the old woman’s cheeks as Victoria came to a halt just inches away, towering over her with an expression carved from stone.
"How long," Victoria’s voice was low, lethal, and deadly calm, "have you and your cowards been terrorizing my family?"
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Eleanor stammered, her formidable facade crumbling into dust. "V-Victoria... I didn't know... she was trespassing..."
"Save your breath for a federal judge, Eleanor," Victoria whispered, turning her gaze down to the ground. She dropped to her knees beside Mia, her expression instantly transforming from frozen fury to tender, desperate concern. "Mia... look at me. You're safe now. Big sister is here."
