Chapter 2 - Splintered Glass
Adrenaline surged through my veins, wiping away the paralyzing shock with a wave of maternal fury. I tore my arms out of Ethan’s trembling grasp and threw my entire body forward, hurtling directly into my deranged sister. The collision sent us crashing across the polished marble floor of the altar, scattering crushed white gardenias, trampled tulle, and shards of shattered crystal vases in every direction.
"Get off my daughter!" I roared, driving my elbow down between Beatrice’s shoulder blades to break her savage grip on Chloe.
Beatrice hissed like a cornered animal, her manicured fingers slick with scarlet droplets torn from Chloe’s delicate cheeks. She spun around, her teeth bared in an unnatural grimace, snapping at my throat. Up close, her pupils were dilated to the point of swallowing her irises completely, burning with an unadulterated venom that felt entirely unhuman. "She shouldn't be alive to wear that veil!" Beatrice shrieked, spit flying against my cheek as she clawed violently at my arms. "She stole his life, Eleanor! You raised a viper on stolen graves, and now she wants his kingdom!"
Two large groomsmen finally overcame their stupor and tackled Beatrice from behind, pinning her wrists to the stone while she kicked and thrashed violently against their restraints. Her manic screams tore through the cavernous pavilion, drowning out the murmurs of terrified socialites who were already fleeing toward the exits.
I scrambled to my knees, gathering Chloe into my arms. My daughter was trembling violently, her breathing shallow and ragged, clutching the shreds of her ruined bodice to her chest. Blood trickled down her collarbone from deep scratch marks.
Behind us, the chilling sound of my mother’s laughter suddenly cut off, replaced by a slow, mocking applause. Evelyn stood upright, smoothing her lavender silk dress without a single hair out of place. Her cold grey eyes fixed onto Chloe with palpable disgust. "Look at the little bride," Evelyn sneered, her voice carrying an icy composure that sent tremors down my spine. "You thought you could walk down this aisle and claim his name without paying the ledger? Today was never a wedding, Eleanor. Today was an execution."
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Ethan knelt beside me, his hands shaking so violently he could barely hold Chloe’s trembling fingers. "Eleanor, we have to get Chloe into the bridal suite right now," he whispered urgently, his voice laced with dread. "They aren't trying to cause a scene. They’re trying to destroy the evidence before the clock strikes five."
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