Chapter 5 - Scattered Diamonds
The tiny diamonds bounced and rolled across the stage, catching the brilliant light of the chandeliers and scattering little prisms of white light across the walls. The guests watched in morbid fascination as the physical symbol of Clara and Arthur’s lavish union literally shattered at their feet.
Clara remained on her knees, clutching her bruised collarbone where the necklace had torn her skin, sobbing ugly, uncontrolled tears that ruined the flawless composure she had maintained all evening. "My necklace..." she whimpered, staring at the glittering stones scattered in the dust. "My wedding... you ruined everything."
Maya looked down at the weeping bride with neither pity nor malice—only a profound, chilling emptiness. She crouched down, picked up one stray diamond from the floor, and held it between her thumb and forefinger before letting it drop back down with a sharp clink against the wood.
"It was never yours, Clara," Maya said softly. "Nothing bought with stolen money ever is."
Victoria stepped over the scattered stones, her expression hardening into legal armor. She signaled the guards again, and this time, they didn't hesitate. Moving with professional efficiency, the two large men grabbed Maya by her arms, lifting her slightly off the floor as they prepared to drag her toward the service exit.
Maya didn't scream, nor did she fight them. She simply met Arthur’s devastated gaze one final time before the doors began to close.
"Check the safe in the Cayman account, Arthur," Maya called out smoothly as the heavy oak doors swung inward. "Mother transferred the primary holdings on the day she died. You're already broke. You just don't know it yet."
The massive doors slammed shut with a heavy, final thud, cutting off the noise of the ballroom and plunging the service corridor into sudden, suffocating quiet. The guards released Maya’s arms, stepping back and looking at her with a mixture of wariness and reluctant respect.
"You okay, kid?" the taller guard asked, his voice dropping its harsh edge.
Maya rubbed her bruised arm, wincing slightly as the cotton of her tank top brushed against a fresh scratch. "I've been better," she muttered, pulling a small set of brass keys from her jeans pocket.
She turned down the dimly lit hallway, walking briskly toward the industrial freight elevator that led down to the underground parking garage. Her heart hammered against her ribs, not from fear, but from the terrifying realization that crossing the threshold of the grand ballroom was only the first step. The real war for the Vance estate hadn't ended tonight—it was only just beginning.
May you like
She punched the call button for the basement, listening to the mechanical whine of the cables descending from above. As the elevator doors slid open with a metallic ding, a dark shadow detached itself from the pillar beside the exit, blocking her path with a heavy iron pipe in hand.
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