Chapter 4 - The wicked ultimatum
The room spun around me as Eleanor's threat hung heavily in the freezing air. She had orchestrated this entire nightmare just to get her hands on Arthur's fortune. "You planted that poison under my sink," I whispered, the horrifying realization washing over me. Eleanor adjusted her diamond rings and offered a wicked smile. "Your landlord is a very greedy man, Rowan," she admitted without a shred of guilt. "I paid him ten thousand dollars to let me into your pathetic little house last night." I felt physically sick to my stomach. "Why involve Lila at all, why not just contest the will?" I asked desperately. "Because Arthur was paranoid and made the inheritance absolute," Eleanor explained. "The only way I get the estate is if the primary beneficiary is placed in my permanent legal custody." She slid a perfectly manicured finger across the metal table. "Sign the confession, go to prison, and I will let Lila live a comfortable life in my mansion." "If I refuse?" I challenged, trembling with absolute rage. "Then Lila will be placed into the absolute worst juvenile detention facility in the state," she threatened. "The detective works for me, the judge works for me, and you are nothing." She stood up, smoothing the wrinkles from her expensive designer skirt. "You have exactly one hour to make your decision, Rowan." She turned and walked out of the room, leaving me completely alone in the silent darkness. I buried my face in my chained hands and sobbed uncontrollably. Suddenly, I heard a strange tapping sound coming from the small air vent near the ceiling. A tiny piece of folded paper dropped through the metal grate and fluttered down onto the table in front of me.
