Chapter 1 - The Echoes of Betrayal
The chapel was a whirlwind of chaos. As Silas and Margot were dragged away, their protests turning from arrogance to incoherent shrieking, I remained rooted to the spot. My head throbbed in time with the sirens approaching outside, but I felt nothing—or rather, I felt too much, and the only way to survive it was to become as cold as the coffins before me.
My attorney, Samantha Page, was at my side in an instant, her hand firm on my shoulder. "Elena, you need to leave. Now. The press is going to descend like vultures. We’ve secured a private car."
I looked at the coffins. My twins, Rose and Thomas. My heart felt as though it had been carved out with a rusted spoon. "They’re still here, Samantha," I whispered, my voice sounding foreign to my own ears. "I can’t leave them."
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"You aren't leaving them," she said, her voice softening. "You’re going to get justice for them. That is the only thing that matters now."
As I was ushered out of the side entrance, I saw the faces of the people who had stood by Silas while he gaslit me. Neighbors, relatives, people who had shaken his hand and whispered condolences in my ear while he was actively plotting the death of my children. They watched me with a mixture of confusion and fear. I realized then that my life as a housewife was officially over. I was a target, a witness, and a woman out for blood.
