Chapter 8 - The Rising Tide
Liam stared at the video feed in sheer horror as the dark water crept higher up Eleanor's legs.
His mother sat completely still, her face pale but her eyes oddly calm.
"Give me the passcode right now," Liam shouted, stepping closer and pressing the cold barrel against Cassandra's forehead.
Cassandra did not flinch, her arrogant smirk remaining firmly in place.
"You do not have the guts to pull the trigger, Liam," she mocked softly.
Marcus suddenly stepped into the room and smashed the heavy butt of his pistol against the back of Cassandra's knees.
She collapsed to the floor with a painful shriek, her arrogance shattering instantly.
Marcus grabbed her designer watch and ripped it forcefully from her wrist.
"We do not need the passcode if we physically destroy the main server," Marcus stated urgently.
"The house's smart system relies on an external relay located in the mansion's outdoor security shed."
Liam did not waste another precious second on his cruel wife.
He sprinted out of the hospital, leaving Marcus to securely tie Cassandra to the hospital bed with IV tubing.
Liam jumped back onto the motorcycle and tore through the city streets toward Beverly Hills.
He crashed the bike heavily through the mansion's front gates, ignoring the screeching alarm systems.
He dashed across the perfectly manicured lawn and violently kicked open the door to the security shed.
Inside, a massive stack of blinking servers controlled the mansion's automated functions.
Liam grabbed a heavy iron wrench and began smashing the glass panels and delicate circuit boards.
Sparks flew violently as he destroyed every single piece of technology in the small room.
The loud hum of the basement water pumps abruptly stopped, replaced by an eerie silence.
Liam threw the wrench down and ran toward the mansion's back entrance to reach the basement.
He kicked open the heavy oak door and splashed into the waist-deep, freezing water.
He waded frantically toward the center of the dark room to untie his mother.
However, the metal chair in the center of the basement was completely empty.
The thick ropes had been cleanly sliced apart, floating harmlessly on the surface of the dark water.
A cold, familiar voice suddenly echoed from the dark shadows at the top of the basement stairs.
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"I taught you how to build a massive empire, Liam, but I never taught you how to finish your enemies."
Liam looked up to see his mother, Eleanor, standing perfectly dry in a sharp black suit, holding a silver revolver.
