Chapter 7 - Reckoning at the Estate
The sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a dramatic amber and purple glow across the Pacific coastline. Sirens wailed in the distance as federal marshals and local authorities finally breached the estate gates, responding to the emergency distress beacons triggered by Victoria’s security detail.
Eleanor was escorted out of the mansion in handcuffs. Her designer dress was wrinkled, her silver hair disheveled, and her face a mask of bitter defeat. As she passed Victoria, who stood calmly on the terrace overlooking the pool, Eleanor spat venomously.
"You think you’ve won, Victoria? You're just as ruthless as I am. You destroyed your own family for power!"
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Victoria didn't flinch. She looked down at the old woman with profound pity. "No, Eleanor. You built a kingdom on fear and blood. I built mine to protect the people you tried to destroy. The difference between us is that when you fall, nobody weeps."
With a nod from Victoria, the marshals guided Eleanor into the back of a black and white cruiser, driving her away into the gathering night.
