Lily threw her arms around her father’s neck, hugging him tightly as tears burst from her eyes. The maids gasped softly from the doorway, surprised by the young girl’s sudden outburst. Victoria paused, her eyes narrowing with anger as she tried to maintain her calm face.
Victoria: Lily, darling, move out of the way. Your father needs his daily medicine right now.
Young Girl: DON'T LET HER INJECT YOU! IT'S POISON!
Richard looked up, his brow furrowing as he felt the intense terror in his daughter’s shaking body. He looked at the syringe in Victoria’s gloved hand, then looked back into Lily's tear-streaked face. For months, he had felt foggy and tired, but the sharp fear in his daughter's voice cut through the haze like a flash of lightning.
Man: WHAT'S REALLY IN THAT NEEDLE, VICTORIA?
Victoria: SHE'S HAVING NIGHTMARES, DARLING. RELAX.
Victoria leaned down close to Richard's face, smiling sinisterly and whispering with cold authority, trying to push Lily aside with her arm. But Lily held on even tighter, burying her face into her father's shoulder, refusing to let the woman come any closer.
Young Girl: HE DOESN'T NEED THE CHAIR! I SAW HIM STANDING!
The entire room went completely silent. The maids exchanged wide-eyed looks. Victoria’s face turned pale for a split second before twisting into pure fury. She realized her cover was blown. She stepped forward aggressively, bringing the syringe down toward Richard’s neck to force the injection before anyone could react.
In that exact fraction of a second, the weakness vanished from Richard's eyes. He grabbed Victoria's wrist with incredible force. The sinister woman let out a sharp gasp of shock as Richard stood up effortlessly from the wheelchair, his powerful tall frame towering over her as he wrestled the syringe out of her trembling hand.