Chapter 6 - A Sister's Shadow
Elena paused in the center of the glass walkway, her sharp eyes scanning the polished floor. Sofia held her breath, praying the woman wouldn't notice the faint, damp smudges left behind by Julian’s dragging soles.
""I know you're on this floor, Julian,"" Elena called out, her voice calm, refined, and entirely devoid of warmth. It echoed softly off the glass panes overlooking the garden. ""You always were remarkably predictable. If you survived the dose, you'd try for the private elevators.""
Sofia looked at Julian. The shock on his face had hardened into something far more dangerous: profound grief.
""Why, Elena?"" Julian spoke aloud, slowly pushing himself out from behind the marble planter.
Sofia reached out to pull him back, but he waved her off, using the wall to keep his spine straight. He stood tall, despite the fever burning through his veins, embodying every ounce of his aristocratic upbringing.
Elena stopped, her hand drifting casually toward the inside of her jacket. A cruel, pitying smile touched her lips. ""Because your father is an old man clinging to a dying empire, Julian. Marcus Vane offered your sister an eighty percent stake in the consolidated firm. You were the only one stubborn enough to refuse the buyout.""
""Claire... Claire agreed to this?"" Julian’s voice cracked, the betrayal hitting him harder than any synthetic toxin.
""Claire signed her share over two hours ago,"" Elena said smoothly, drawing a compact, suppressed pistol from beneath her coat. ""You were always the favorite, Julian. The prodigal son destined to inherit the throne while Claire did the actual bookkeeping. She was tired of waiting for you to see reason.""
""She didn't authorize my murder,"" Julian said, though the conviction in his voice was unraveling.
""No,"" Elena conceded, tilting her head. ""She thinks you're stuck in traffic on the interstate. When your body is found in your car tomorrow morning, she will weep, inherit your shares, and Marcus Vane will take the reins. A very clean, very profitable arrangement.""
Elena raised the pistol, leveling it directly between Julian’s eyes.
""Step aside, little maid,"" Elena commanded, glancing briefly at Sofia without an ounce of concern. ""Run along and you might live long enough to find another job.""
Sofia didn't run.
Instead, her eyes dropped to the heavy brass fire hose nozzle mounted in the decorative wall recess beside her. With a sudden, explosive motion born of pure desperation, Sofia grabbed the brass nozzle, twisted the emergency release valve, and slammed the heavy metal cylinder straight into the glass display behind her.
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The safety glass shattered with an ear-splitting explosion of sound, triggering the hotel's central flood and fire suppression alarms. High-pressure water burst violently across the corridor, knocking Elena off balance just as she pulled the trigger.
The bullet grazed Julian’s shoulder, splintering the marble behind him.
