Chapter 22 - The Fall of the Matriarch
Emma dashed through the broken terrace doors into the tempest, descending the rock staircase toward the marina.
Rebecca turned back to face Eleanor. The matriarch was scrambling toward a private elevator shaft, clutching a leather satchel containing the backup digital keys.
"It’s over, Eleanor," Rebecca said, walking through the falling debris, ignoring the dust and shrapnel.
Eleanor turned, cornered against the iron cage of the lift, drawing a small pearl-handled revolver. "You were nothing! An orphan from a military outpost! My family built this country!"
"Your family fed on it like parasites," Rebecca replied, closing the distance.
Eleanor raised the revolver and pulled the trigger. The hammer clicked on an empty chamber—Rebecca had already tracked the seven-shot cylinder during the conservatory breach.
Before Eleanor could scream, Rebecca seized her wrist, twisting it until the gun clattered to the stones, and slammed the billionaire against the lift cage. With her free hand, Rebecca ripped the leather satchel from Eleanor's shoulder.
"The $700 million didn't save your sons," Rebecca whispered in her ear as the ceiling began to collapse in tons of mortar and stone. "And it won't save you."
May you like
Rebecca hurled Eleanor backward into the reinforced security panic vault built into the cliff face, slamming the five-inch-thick steel door shut and throwing the manual lockdown lever. The lock clicked, sealing Eleanor inside her own cage as the surrounding manor began to disintegrate into the sea.
***
