Victoria stood in the bright living room of the Dallas estate.
Sunlight washed over the polished floor beneath her feet.
Her stepmother, Eleanor, stepped forward with a sharp pair of scissors.
Victoria reached up to touch the smooth white pearls around her neck.
Those pearls were the last gift from her biological mother.
Eleanor smiled without any warmth in her cold blue eyes.
"You do not belong in this family business anymore," Eleanor said softly.
Victoria tried to back away from the sharp metal blades.
Eleanor moved fast and snapped the silk string with the scissors.
The white pearls snapped free and scattered across the floor.
Victoria gasped as the heavy beads rolled in every direction.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Victoria asked with a shaking voice.
Eleanor stepped closer and pressed Victoria toward the indoor balcony.
"Your father left the entire estate to me," Eleanor whispered falsely.
Victoria backed up until her lower back hit the wooden railing.
The drop down to the main foyer floor was very high.
"Stay away from me," Victoria said, holding her hands out.
Eleanor raised her hand and shoved Victoria over the edge.
Victoria lost her balance completely and screamed in pure terror.
She tumbled backward off the balcony into the empty air.
Pearls flew all around her like heavy drops of white hail.
The floor below seemed to rush up to meet her face.
She closed her eyes and waited for the painful crash.
Suddenly, a strong pair of arms caught her mid-air.
Jack slid across the hardwood floor and grabbed her tight.
They hit the ground together with a heavy thud.
Pearls bounced around them across the wide room.
Jack held her close against his black leather jacket.
Victoria breathed heavily, staring up into Jack's familiar face.
"Are you hurt, Victoria?" Jack asked in a hurried whisper.
Tears spilled over her cheeks as she held onto his coat.
"She got the papers, Jack," Victoria sobbed quietly.
Jack looked up toward the high balcony above them.
Eleanor stood at the railing, watching them with a sneer.
Jack looked back down at Victoria with burning eyes.
"I will handle her," Jack promised in a firm voice.