Chapter 2 - The Departure
"Turn that off!" Arthur finally exploded, slamming his fist against the mahogany table hard enough to rattle the crystal decanter. He stood up, his face flushed with a toxic mixture of anger and humiliation—not at Helen for locking his granddaughter in a dog enclosure, but at Clara for exposing the family's rot in public. "How dare you pull a stunt like this in front of my associates? Go to your room, Clara. This childish rebellion has gone far enough!"
Clara stared at her father, feeling a strange, hollow sort of peace settle over her chest. The illusion that he would ever protect her or her child had finally evaporated.
"Childish rebellion?" Clara repeated softly, her amber eyes locking onto Arthur’s flickering gaze. "You sat at this table while your wife treated my newborn like an animal to be hidden away from her wealthy friends. And you call it a rebellion to protect my child?"
She turned on her heel, cradling her baby tightly against her chest, and walked toward the grand double doors of the dining room.
"Clara! If you walk out of this house tonight, don't ever expect a cent of inheritance!" Helen screamed, her voice cracking with hysteria as she realized her social standing had just imploded. "You'll be broke, homeless, and begging on the streets by Tuesday!"
"Keep the money, Helen," Clara threw over her shoulder without breaking her stride. "You're going to need every last dime to pay your defense attorneys."
She pushed past the heavy oak doors, stepping out into the grand foyer just as the front entry chimes rang out.
Clara froze. The front door swung open automatically before she could reach the handle, revealing two figures standing on the porch under the pouring rain.
The lead figure was a tall man in a dark trench coat, flashing a gleaming metallic badge that caught the light of the chandelier. Behind him stood a pair of local patrol officers.
May you like
"Clara Sterling?" the man asked, his voice sharp and authoritative. "I'm Detective Vance, county child welfare division. We received an anonymous tip regarding an infant endangered at this address."
---
