Chapter 2 - The Pedigree of Cruelty
Victoria’s dark eyes burned with malicious satisfaction as she watched the security guards immobilize the child. To her, the boy wasn't just a suspect; he was a disease that threatened the pristine aesthetic of the flagship store she had managed for five years. She adjusted the lapels of her cream tweed jacket, her diamond earrings catching the warm light as she glared down at his mud-streaked cheeks.
"Look at you," she sneered, leaning in close so her sharp scent of expensive rose perfume overwhelmed his senses. "A gutter rat trying to walk off with fifty thousand dollars in fine jewelry. Did you really think no one would notice you sneaking past the front desk?"
The boy shook his head frantically, his tears cutting clean white tracks through the dirt on his face. "I didn't steal it!" he choked out, his voice cracking with the pitch of sheer panic. "I was just bringing it back! It was on the floor outside!"
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"Liar!" Victoria barked, turning to the gathering crowd of wealthy shoppers to gain their approval. "They all say the same thing when they're caught red-handed. Hold him tight, boys. We're calling the police, and I'm going to make sure he spends his youth in a detention center where he belongs."
The guards increased their pressure on the child’s shoulders. The boy winced, his breathing becoming shallow and erratic as the walls of the golden cage closed in around him.
