Chapter 6 - THE SHOCKING CONFESSION (1,500 words)
I stared at my sister across the glass desk, feeling as though I were looking at a stranger—or worse, a venomous snake that had been coiled in my garden for years.
“You're not even going to deny it?” I asked, my voice shaking with disgust.
Chloe picked up a silver pen, twirling it effortlessly between her fingers. “Deny what, Clara? That Daniel and I fell in love? Or that we figured out a way to make something of ourselves while you were sleepwalking through your safe, boring suburban life?”
“You stole my father’s legacy, Chloe! You committed a felony!” I shouted, stepping right up to the edge of her desk.
“Dad’s money was rotting in a low-interest savings account,” Chloe shot back, her voice raising to match mine, devoid of an ounce of remorse. “He would have wanted us to invest it! He would have wanted us to build an empire! But you? You would have left it sitting there collecting dust while you played the dutiful housewife to a man who was miserable with you!”
“Miserable?” I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “Is that what Daniel told you? That he was miserable?”
“He was!” Chloe insisted, leaning forward, her eyes flashing with defensive triumph. “You never understood him, Clara. You wanted a boring desk jockey who came home at five o'clock every night to watch television and eat casseroles. Daniel has ambition. He has vision. We share a mind, a drive, a passion that you could never possibly comprehend.”
“Right,” I said coldly. “A passion for embezzlement and adultery. How wonderfully romantic.”
Chloe glared at me, her jaw clenched. “You can judge us all you want, Clara. But it won't change anything. The LLC is legally registered. The funds have already been deployed into international art acquisitions. Even if you report the forgery to the police, it will take years of messy litigation to untangle the assets. By the time the courts sort it out, this gallery will be generating millions.”
“You think I’m going to let you get away with this?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “I’m calling the police right now. I’m freezing every account, reporting the stolen trust, and having both of you indicted for fraud and conspiracy.”
I pulled my phone out of my handbag, my thumb hovering over the keypad.
In a flash of movement, Chloe leaped out of her chair, lunged across the desk, and slapped the phone right out of my hand. It clattered hard against the polished concrete floor, the screen cracking down the center.
“You are not calling anyone!” Chloe hissed, her face contorted with rage.
I stared at her, stepping back, realizing just how dangerous my sister had become. Greed and ambition had turned her into a monster.
“You think you can intimidate me, Chloe?” I said, keeping my voice steady despite the adrenaline pumping through my veins. “You think because you smashed my phone, you’ve won? You’re delusional. I have digital backups of all the financial records at home. The police will be here within the hour.”
I turned sharply on my heel and walked toward the heavy glass exit doors.
“Clara, wait!” Chloe yelled behind me.
I didn't stop. I pushed open the side door and stepped out into the crisp autumn air, my heart hammering like a jackhammer against my ribs. I pulled my spare car key from my pocket, unlocked my sedan, and jumped inside.
As I turned the ignition, I looked back toward the gallery window. Chloe was standing by the glass, watching me with an expression that sent a shiver straight down my spine. It wasn't panic anymore. It was a look of cold, calculating assurance.
May you like
As if she knew something I didn't.
As if my little victory of walking out of that warehouse was exactly what she wanted me to do.
