Chapter 10 - The Storm Outside
Evelyn pushed through the heavy glass entrance doors, stepping out into the pouring rain. The storm had finally broken over the estate, cold raindrops cascading down the stone steps, washing away the heat and tension of the ballroom inside.
She wrapped her coat around Sophie, shielding the child from the downpour as she marched down the drive toward her modest sedan parked under the pine trees. Behind her, the warm golden light of the estate shone brightly through the stained-glass windows, a gilded cage built on fraud, violence, and deceit.
She placed Sophie gently into the backseat, clicking the seatbelt securely into place. The child looked up at her, the swelling on her cheek glistening in the dim interior light of the car, but her crying had stopped.
"Mommy?" Sophie asked softly. "Are we going to be okay?"
Evelyn reached out, brushing a wet strand of hair away from her daughter's forehead, her face illuminated by the dash lights. Her eyes were clear, fierce, and entirely devoid of fear.
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"We are going to be more than okay, Sophie," Evelyn said, her voice steady as iron as she started the engine. "Tonight, they thought they were driving us away. Tomorrow, they'll find out what happens when you mess with a mother who has nothing left to lose."
She pulled out onto the main road, the red taillights of her car cutting through the dark rain as the estate faded into the rearview mirror, lost to the gathering storm.
