Chapter 4 - The Flawless Collapse
Before anyone in the room could comprehend what she was doing, Eleanor stepped up to the massive, multi-ton marble dining table. She reached underneath the heavy stone lip with both hands, her arm muscles straining beneath her black blazer, her jaw locked in absolute determination.
With a surge of adrenaline driven by pure maternal fury, Eleanor lifted.
The heavy marble slab groaned. The silver legs screeched against the marble floor.
"Eleanor, stop!" Julian yelled, scrambling backward in his chair.
With a final, explosive shove, Eleanor flipped the entire dining table over.
The collapse was catastrophic. The heavy marble slab flipped on its side and crashed down onto the floor with a deafening boom that shook the structural pillars of the manor. Thousands of dollars worth of crystal glasses shattered instantly, sending sharp shards of glass exploding in every direction. Silver platters clattered across the stone, and hot gravy, red wine, and roasted meats sprayed across the designer dresses and tailored suits of the Sterling family.
Screams of terror filled the room. Uncles scrambled backward, tripping over their chairs. Aunts shrieked as red wine splashed across their silk gowns like arterial blood. Victoria stumbled backward, her hand pressed against her heart as a cloud of shattered glass dust rose into the chandelier’s light.
Eleanor stood amidst the chaos, completely unbothered by the destruction at her feet. She held Leo tightly, her arm shielding his face from any flying debris.
The dining hall, once a monument to pristine arrogance, now looked like a war zone. Food was smeared across the white walls, wine soaked the Persian rugs, and the Sterling family cowered against the perimeter of the room, covered in grease and shattered glass.
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Julian lay on his back near the overturned table, covered in spilled soup, staring up at his wife in sheer horror. "You're crazy... you've lost your mind!"
"I haven't lost anything, Julian," Eleanor said, her voice cutting through the whimpers of the family. "I'm just taking out the trash."
