Grandma Evelyn turned around toward the grand front doors.
She looked at Elena with a warm gentle reassuring smile.
You are free to leave this house now, my dear.
Elena nodded her head politely toward the kind old lady.
She smoothed down the front of her clean green dress.
She felt lighter than she had felt in many years.
The rest of the relatives began walking out quietly.
They marched right past Victoria without saying a word.
The heavy oak double doors opened up wide to outside.
Cool fresh evening air washed over the grand foyer room.
Mark tried to stand up while holding his sore cheek.
Elena, please wait, he called out in a whisper.
Elena did not stop or look back at him once.
She walked straight through the massive open front door frame.
The heavy wooden doors clicked shut tight behind the group.
Victoria sat all alone at the long empty table.
Orange soup dripped slowly off her chin onto the wood.
Leftover meat bones covered her lap and the floor.
Her precious navy jacket was permanently stained and ruined.
The room fell into complete and absolute ringing silence.
No servants came into the room to clean the mess.
No family members stayed behind to comfort the woman.
Victoria stared wide-eyed at the empty wooden chairs around.
She realized the true cost of her cruel arrogant ways.
She was completely alone with her own terrible mess.
Mark sat on the cold floor staring at the ground.
His face hurt and his future looked completely dark now.
He had chosen the wrong side and lost everything good.
Outside, Elena walked down the long paved stone driveway.
The cool night breeze felt clean against her skin.
She was finally free from the toxic rich family.