Chapter 5 - The Snake's Move
The next morning, Arthur left early for an emergency board meeting. He had instructed his personal security team to guard the mansion with absolute vigilance, but he underestimated the reach of Victoria Vance.
By 11:00 AM, the power to the mansion suddenly cut out. The security cameras went dark, and the electronic locks on the gates clicked open as the backup generators failed to kick in.
I was in the playroom with Leo when the lights died. Instantly, the little boy dropped his crayons and scrambled into my lap, his heart hammering against my chest.
"Clara," he whispered, his voice trembling. "The bad lady is here. The one who makes the cars broken."
"Shh, Leo, I’ve got you," I murmured, my mind racing. I looked out the window and saw a black sedan pulled up to the front steps. Two men in dark suits stepped out, followed by Victoria Vance, who was holding a legal document in her hand.
They didn't knock. They used a physical master key to open the heavy oak doors.
"Clara!" Victoria's voice echoed through the dark house, cold and triumphant. "Come out, dear. I have a court order signed by the state family court. Arthur has been deemed mentally unfit to care for the heir due to corporate negligence, and guardianship has been temporarily transferred to me. Bring the boy."
I looked around the playroom. There was only one exit, and it led straight to the main hallway. But there was a small laundry chute in the corner, designed for old linen collections, leading down to the basement kitchen.
"Leo," I said, looking into his eyes, forcing myself to smile despite the terror freezing my veins. "We’re going to play a game. Remember how Humphrey hid in the tall grass?"
He nodded, tears spilling down his cheeks.
"I need you to slide down the chute, very quietly. Wait for me in the pantry behind the flour sacks. Can you do that for Humphrey?"
He squeezed his stuffed elephant, gave me one brave, tiny nod, and climbed into the chute. A soft friction sound followed, then silence from below.
A second later, the playroom door was thrown open. Victoria stood there, flanked by the two private security guards she had hired.
"Where is he?" she hissed, looking around the empty room.
"He’s not here, Miss Vance," I said, standing my ground, blocking the laundry chute with my body. "And you have no right to be in this house."
"I have every right," Victoria sneered, holding up the paper. "Arthur is currently being detained at the corporate headquarters by a regulatory audit I initiated. By the time he gets out, Leo will be on a private jet to Switzerland, and I will be the sole trustee of the Vance fortune. Now, move aside."
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One of the guards stepped forward, grabbing my arm with brutal force, pulling me away from the wall. Victoria walked past me and opened the laundry chute, looking down into the darkness.
"Clever girl," she whispered, turning to her guards. "Go down to the basement. Secure the boy. And make sure the maid has an... accident on her way out."
