Chapter 10 - The Last Stand
Victor stood in the center of the ballroom, holding Daniel hostage as the guests watched in absolute horror.
"Drop your weapons and walk down here, Maya, or I paint this floor with his brains!" Victor ordered.
I slowly descended the grand staircase, keeping my hands perfectly visible and empty.
"You have absolutely nowhere to run, Victor; the police are already surrounding the estate," I warned him calmly.
Red and blue flashing lights were indeed beginning to reflect through the massive ballroom windows.
Victor laughed, a desperate and hollow sound that echoed off the high ceilings.
"I don't care about escaping anymore; I just want to watch you lose everything again," he snarled.
He cocked the hammer of the revolver, preparing to execute Daniel right in front of me.
Daniel suddenly drove his elbow backward into Victor's wounded shoulder with incredible force.
Victor screamed in agony, his grip loosening just enough for Daniel to break free and drop to the floor.
I sprinted forward, closing the distance before Victor could realign his weapon.
I drove my knee into his chest and twisted his wrist violently, forcing the heavy revolver to clatter across the marble floor.
Victor threw a desperate punch, but I easily blocked it and delivered a crushing blow to his jaw.
He collapsed onto his back, completely defeated, just as heavily armed tactical police swarmed into the room.
The officers quickly secured Victor in heavy handcuffs, dragging him away as he glared at me with pure venom.
Marcus and the paramedics rushed in, immediately tending to Daniel's wounds and evacuating the traumatized guests.
Vanessa was formally arrested in her hospital bed, charged with conspiracy and attempted murder.
Daniel walked over to me, wrapping a warm, grateful arm around my tired shoulders.
The nightmare was finally over, and the Sterling estate was entirely safe once again.
Daniel took my hand, and for the first time in eight long years, I felt a genuine sense of peace.
But when I returned to my private quarters to pack my things, my blood instantly turned to ice.
A fresh black envelope was resting perfectly in the center of my meticulously made bed.
May you like
Inside was a high-resolution photograph taken just five minutes ago, showing Daniel and me holding hands in the hallway.
On the back, written in that exact same terrifying handwriting, was a promise that Victor was only the beginning.
