Chapter 3 - The Ghost of the Past
Marcus quickly grabbed the unconscious guard's weapon and tucked it securely into his waistband.
He gestured for Clara and Martha to follow him deeper into the damp, terrifying tunnels.
"We do not have much time before they realize this guard is missing," Marcus warned quietly.
Clara stumbled forward, leaning heavily against Martha as they walked through the shadows.
"They told me you drowned five years ago," Clara whispered, her mind struggling to process the impossible reality.
Marcus let out a bitter, humorless laugh that echoed faintly in the narrow corridor.
"My mother, Evelyn, orchestrated that accident because I refused to sign away my rightful inheritance," he explained coldly.
He revealed that Daniel had always been Evelyn's puppet, entirely willing to kill for the family fortune.
Clara realized with sickening clarity that she was just another obstacle in their endless pursuit of wealth and power.
Her billionaire father had recently passed away, leaving his entire empire directly to her and her unborn child.
"Daniel never loved you, Clara," Marcus said softly, glancing back at her with genuine pity.
"He only married you to secure the inheritance, and now that you are pregnant, the baby is the sole heir."
Evelyn's plan was flawlessly cruel and terrifyingly simple.
Once Clara was dead, Daniel would gain full legal custody of the child and total control of the massive estate.
Clara wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach, swearing violently that they would never touch her baby.
Suddenly, a massive, agonizing cramp ripped through her abdomen, forcing her to her knees.
She cried out in pain, clutching the damp concrete wall as a warm rush of fluid soaked her clothes.
Martha dropped to her side immediately, her experienced eyes widening in sheer panic.
"Her water just broke," the old maid announced, her voice trembling with genuine terror.
"The baby is coming right now."
Marcus cursed loudly under his breath and wildly scanned the dark corridor for a safe place to hide.
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The sound of aggressively barking search dogs echoed from the staircase behind them.
Daniel's hunting party had successfully found their bloody trail.
