Chapter 7 - VICTORIA'S DESPERATE ULTIMATUM
The federal agents cleared the dining room,
leaving only the eerie quiet of an estate that had suddenly lost its untouchable aura of wealth and privilege.
Victoria pulled herself up from the floor,
her designer dress stained and wrinkled,
her hair tumbling out of its once-perfect chignon.
"Listen to me,
Sienna,"
she hissed,
stepping forward with a terrifying intensity in her eyes.
"If you don't call off the Department of Justice right now,
I will ruin your military career."
I stopped halfway to the door,
turning back slowly with a quiet,
almost amused smile.
"You're going to ruin my military career,
Mother?"
I asked softly.
"How fascinating."
"Do you honestly think the Pentagon wants a scandal?"
Victoria demanded,
her voice rising hysterically.
"I have friends on the congressional oversight committee,
high-ranking generals who golf with Richard every weekend."
"They'll call you unstable,
insubordinate,
unfit for command."
I walked slowly back toward her,
my boots clicking sharply against the polished wood until I stood mere inches away from her face.
"Let me educate you on how the military actually works,
Mother,"
I whispered,
my voice chillingly calm.
"Generals don't take phone calls from disgraced corporate socialites whose husbands are currently facing federal felony indictments."
"And my security clearance is protected by cryptographic protocols that even your congressional friends couldn't penetrate in a thousand lifetimes."
Victoria shrank back,
finally sensing the insurmountable chasm of power between her petty suburban games and my actual operational authority.
"You're a ruthless stranger,"
she whispered,
shaking her head in disbelief.
"I gave birth to you."
"No,"
I corrected her firmly.
"You tolerated me until I stopped fitting into your polished little narrative of high-society compliance."
"And now,
the bill has finally come due for every single lie you ever told."
Julian stumbled toward the front hallway,
glaring at me with pure venom as he prepared to walk out into the cooling evening air.
"This isn't over,
Sienna,"
May you like
Julian muttered under his breath.
"We'll see who's standing when the probate court reviews Dad's original will."
