Footsteps echoed sharply from the wooden outdoor staircase that led up from the penthouse master suite. Daniel stepped onto the sunlit terrace, wearing a neat beige polo shirt and slacks. He held a glass of iced coffee in one hand and his phone in the other. He stopped near the doorway, watching the desperate struggle on the balcony with complete indifference.
Elena looked over her shoulder, her face flushed red with effort and tear streaks cutting through the dust on her cheeks. She thought Daniel would sprint forward to save his pregnant wife. She expected him to grab the rope and pull Sarah back onto the safe stone floor.
Elena: Daniel! Hurry! Help me! Your wife is falling!
Daniel: Why are you making such a loud scene, Elena?
Elena: She is slipping! Daniel, please! Grab the other end of the rope!
Daniel: I think my mother has everything under control out here.
Sarah looked up from the drop, her throat dry and her voice shaking with total disbelief. She stared into the eyes of the man she had loved for three years, searching for any sign of mercy or love. Daniel took a slow sip from his cold drink and set the glass down on a glass side table near the terrace couch.
Sarah: Daniel... please... it's your baby! Our child!
Daniel: I never wanted this baby, Sarah. You knew that from the start.
Elena: Daniel, no! She is your wife! How can you say that?
Daniel: A baby means a custody fight and half my estate gone in a divorce.
Sarah: You lied to me... you told me you loved us both...
Daniel: I loved the quiet life before you started digging into my bank records.
Daniel walked closer to the edge, his step slow and deliberate. The bright daylight lit up his pale skin, showing no emotion, no anger, and no regret. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek silver folding knife that he used for cutting cigars. He flicked the sharp blade open with a soft metallic click that made Elena's heart drop into her stomach.
Elena: What are you doing with that knife? Stay away from us!
Victoria: Do it quickly, Daniel, before the building security checks the cameras.
Daniel: The security cameras on this floor were turned off twenty minutes ago.
Sarah: Daniel, please! Have mercy on your own blood!
Daniel: Goodbye, Sarah. You should have accepted the prenup settlement.