Chapter 4
The grand living room descended into sudden, chaotic murmurs. The well-dressed guests took a collective step back, their fair faces painted with confusion and alarm. The bright, cinematic lighting seemed to intensify the sheer madness of the moment as Daniel leaned over the mahogany coffin, his expensive gold wristwatch glinting as his hand held tight to Elena’s neck.
The Mother’s face twisted into an ugly sneer, the mask of cold calculation entirely dropping. She fiercely stepped forward, her black velvet dress sweeping across the floor. She reached out with palpable venom, grabbing Daniel tightly by the shoulder to pull him away from the coffin.
"Daniel, stop this hysteria!" the Mother shouted, her voice booming with a tyrannical American accent. "You are embarrassing this family!"
"Take your hands off me, Mother!" Daniel yelled, shrugging off her grip violently. He kept his fingers on Elena’s pulse, confirming the slow, steady flutter of life. "She is breathing! It’s shallow, but she is breathing! You tried to bury my wife alive!"
"You are having a psychotic break," the Mother hissed, leaning in close so only he could hear her. "The stress has broken your mind. If you don't step away from that box right now, I will have security restrain you and take you to a psychiatric ward."
Marcus moved to the other side of the coffin, his hands trembling slightly as he reached out. "Let her go, Daniel. You are disrespecting her memory. The guests are watching us."
"Don't you dare touch her, Marcus!" Daniel warned, his dark hair wild, his eyes burning with an unadulterated, primal fury. "You did this! You and that private doctor. You found the thick audit folder in the study, didn't you? You realized Elena had uncovered your embezzlement!"
"You are insane," Marcus stammered, though a high-stakes panic was rapidly overtaking his features. "We found her unconscious on the floor! We did everything we could!"
"You didn't do a damn thing but sign a fake death certificate!" Daniel bellowed, the pieces of the horrifying puzzle snapping together in his mind. "The bruises on her arms. You held her down. You injected her with something. You sedated her to stop the audit!"
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"Security!" the Mother commanded loudly, waving her hand toward the heavily armed men standing near the sweeping wooden staircase. "My son is unwell. Remove him from the room immediately."
"If any of you take one step toward me, I will kill you with my bare hands," Daniel roared, his deep voice shaking the crystal chandeliers above.
