Chapter 4 - The Ultimatum
The silence in the dining room was deafening, broken only by the soft, rhythmic sound of Emily sobbing. The little girl in the green velvet dress squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face deep into Claire’s shoulder, terrified of the loud voices and the coldness of her grandparents.
Claire rubbed Emily’s back gently with a trembling, bruised hand.
"The police are looking for him," Claire said softly. "The operator heard him hit me."
"Which is exactly why you need to sign this right now," her father snapped, his patience entirely gone. He stood up, his tall frame casting a dark shadow over the festive table. "Mark’s fixer is on his way here. You sign the paper saying you fell down the stairs, and you withdraw the complaint. In exchange, Mark is wiring three million dollars into a private account for you. You can take a nice vacation to Europe until the bruising heals."
Her father picked up a heavy gold fountain pen and held it out toward her. "Sign it, Claire. Do not ruin this family over a momentary lapse in judgment."
Claire looked at the gold pen. She looked at the towering Christmas tree, the piles of expensive gifts underneath it, all bought with the money of a monster. Then, she felt Emily’s warm, terrified tears soaking through the collar of her dark coat.
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A profound, chilling clarity washed over Claire.
👉 What dark realization has Claire just come to as she looks at her parents?
