Chapter 8: The Voice of Guilt
Chapter 8: The Voice of Guilt
The lights of the grand chandelier overhead suddenly flickered as the heavy tension in the room reached a boiling point.
Elena, still resting against Julian's chest, reached deep into the hidden inner lining of her apron. Her fingers wrapped around a small, sleek black object. She pulled it out and held it up.
It was a compact digital voice recorder.
"I knew no one would believe me against a Sterling," Elena whispered, her voice steadying. "So I saved it. Every time she came down to the basement to threaten me... I recorded it."
Victoria froze, her eyes widening in genuine terror for the first time in her life.
"Delete that right now!" Victoria lunged forward, but Julian stepped in front of Elena, his massive frame blocking his mother effortlessly.
Elena pressed the play button. A sharp hiss filled the room, followed by the undeniable, chillingly cold voice of Victoria Sterling:
May you like
"You are going to look Julian in the eye and tell him you lost the baby, you pathetic little leach. If you don't, I will make sure neither you nor that bastard child are ever found again. Do you understand me? The Sterlings own the police in this city. You are nothing."
The recording cut off. The silence that followed was deafening.
