Chapter 3 - The Scent of Bitter Almonds
The heavy silence inside the master suite felt thick enough to suffocate a man.
Damian stared at the dissolved patch of rug with cold, calculating rage.
Dr. Sterling took an involuntary step backward, his face turning the color of chalk.
"A chemical reaction with the carpet dye, surely," the doctor stammered, pulling nervously at his collar.
"The rug must have been treated with industrial cleaning solvents."
"My rugs are cleaned with distilled water and organic soap," Damian said, his voice deadly calm.
He reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a sleek black pistol.
He didn't point it directly at Sterling, but the distinct metallic click of the safety catching echoed through the chamber.
"Taste the water from the pitcher, Jonathan," Damian instructed softly.
"Damian, be reasonable, this is absurd," Sterling pleaded, his voice cracking into a high pitch.
Before Damian could raise the weapon, the heavy oak doors swung open.
Viktor Vance stepped into the room, flanked by two armed guards in dark tailored suits.
"What's the commotion?" Viktor asked smoothly, his eyes scanning the shattered crystal and the drawn weapon.
"Jonathan was just explaining why my imported medicine dissolves wool," Damian said without looking away from the doctor.
Viktor’s expression hardened instantly as he stepped between Damian and the physician.
"Take Dr. Sterling to the library under armed guard," Viktor ordered the men with chilling authority.
"If someone tampered with our boss's medicine, they won't leave this estate on two feet."
The guards dragged the weeping doctor down the corridor.
Viktor turned toward Mara, his cold blue eyes lingering on Lila, who was hiding behind her mother's apron.
"You should take your daughter upstairs, Mara," Viktor said, his tone dripping with false sweetness.
"This house is no place for innocent ears."
Mara nodded hurriedly and carried Lila up the grand staircase to their second-floor suite.
Her hands shook so violently she could barely turn the brass doorknob.
Later that evening, the mansion fell unnervingly quiet under the cover of a ferocious thunderstorm.
Mara slipped into the kitchen to prepare warm milk for Lila, hoping the warm liquid would soothe the child's nightmares.
As she passed the private laundry room in the west basement, she heard muffled voices behind the door.
She stepped closer to the crack, her breath catching in her throat.
Viktor stood near the industrial washing machine, violently shaking Dr. Sterling by his silk tie.
"You idiot!" Viktor hissed under his breath.
"You increased the dose too quickly!
I told you to make it look like sudden cardiac failure, not industrial acid!"
"The brat knocked it over!" Sterling wept, clutching Viktor’s wrists.
"He suspects me, Viktor!
He had his gun drawn!
Give me my passport and my wire transfer now!"
Mara tried to back away into the shadows, but her shoe scuffed against a loose copper pipe on the floor.
The sound clanged through the basement corridor.
May you like
The door flew open instantly.
Viktor’s gloved hand clamped over Mara’s mouth, dragging her into the dark laundry room before she could scream.
