The silence in the grand living room felt heavy enough to suffocate a person, broken only by the soft tick of the grandfather clock in the foyer. Clara kept her eyes fixed on her sister's pale face, feeling a cold dread wash over her body like ice water. She had seen Victoria angry before over small things like ruined dresses or missed appointments, but this was different, deeper, and far more dangerous. The framed American flag hanging on the white wall seemed to stare down at them as the tension reached a boiling point that could no longer be contained.
Victoria: GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!
Clara: Victoria, please calm down! I am leaving right now, just let me grab my purse from the counter!
Victoria: I told you to get out!
Before Clara could even turn her body toward the kitchen counter, Victoria lunged forward with sudden, terrifying strength. Her hands slammed directly into Clara's chest, shoving her backward toward the center of the living room with brutal force. Clara lost her footing on the polished hardwood floor, her balance completely destroyed by her front-heavy pregnant belly. She reached out wildly into the air, trying to catch herself on anything solid, but her hand only caught the smooth edge of the low glass coffee table.
The impact was sudden and horrifying as Clara's full body weight smashed into the heavy glass table top, sending sharp shards flying in every direction across the room. The loud sound of glass violently shattering echoed against the high ceilings like a gunshot, followed immediately by a sickening thud as Clara hit the floor hard. Shards of clear glass covered the polished wood around her like frozen rain, piercing through her pink dress and scratching her arms as she rolled onto her side. A terrible, sharp pain shot through her stomach, making her world go dark around the edges for a terrifying moment.
Clara: AHH! My baby... oh God, my baby!
Victoria: Look at what you made me do! Look at the mess you made in my house!
Clara lay trapped among the sharp pieces of glass, holding her stomach tightly with both arms while tears streamed down her pale cheeks without stopping. She could feel small cuts bleeding on her elbows, but her only thought was the safety of her unborn child, who was unnaturally still after the harsh blow. She groaned in absolute agony, trying to pull her legs up away from the dangerous glass, but every tiny movement sent another wave of pain burning through her abdomen.
Victoria did not move a single step to help her sister, nor did she reach for her phone to dial for an emergency ambulance. Instead, she stood tall in her champagne satin gown, stepping around a large pointed piece of broken glass so her silk shoes would not be ruined. She looked down at Clara lying helpless on the cold floor, her face twisting into a cold, arrogant sneer that showed no regret at all for the terrible crime she had just committed.
Victoria: NOBODY WILL EVER BELIEVE YOU!
Clara: Please... call nine-one-one... help me...
Victoria: I will tell everyone you slipped on your own long dress because you are clumsy. Who do you think Mom and Dad will believe? A successful lawyer, or you?
Clara: You are a monster... a absolute monster...
Victoria: Save your breath, Clara. Nobody is coming to save you, and by the time anyone gets here, I will have my story completely straight.