Chapter 3 - Lethal Determination
Valerie regained her footing instantly. The overwhelming grief that had crushed her spirit for two days burned away entirely, replaced by an unshakeable, lethal fury. As an active-duty Army Colonel, she straightened her posture, her dark eyes narrowing into razor-sharp focus as she glared at the man she had once trusted with her life and her home.
"Don't make a scene, Valerie!" Fernando warned in a desperate, stern whisper, stepping forward to block her view of the casket. "She's gone! You're hysterical! Step back before security escort you out of this building!"
In the background, Fernando’s new partner, Natalia, covered her mouth in sheer horror, her eyes darting nervously between Fernando and the small white box. She knew something was horribly wrong, but fear kept her frozen near the elaborate floral arrangements.
Valerie didn't retreat an inch. She marched right back up to Fernando, standing face-to-face with him in front of two hundred silent guests. Her dark navy dress brushed against his suit as she pulled her smartphone from her coat pocket. With steady, unyielding fingers, she hit speed-dial while keeping her eyes locked onto his panicked face.
"You drugged my daughter and put her in a coffin," Valerie said in a low, ice-cold voice that made Fernando's blood run completely cold.
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The air in the grand hall grew impossibly tense as Valerie stood her ground, her body rigid and completely motionless. Fernando took a involuntary half-step backward, caught off guard by the absolute lack of fear in his ex-wife's demeanor. He had expected her to break down in hysterics, to be easily handled and removed by the hired guards, but instead, he was staring into the face of a combat veteran who saw him as an immediate threat. The whispers among the seated guests began to ripple across the rows of mahogany pews like wildfire. Family friends, corporate partners, and high-society acquaintances leaned toward one another, their eyes wide as they picked up on the terrifying words Valerie had just spoken. Claudia tried to interject, her voice rising in fake concern to drown out Valerie, but Valerie did not break eye contact with Fernando for even a fraction of a second, her jaw locked in determination as the call connected on her phone.
👉 Read PART 4 to see what happened when Valerie dialed the authorities!
