Chapter 6 - Shadows in the Corridor
The grandfather clock chimed midnight.
Down in the east wing, the heavy oak door of the nursery remained locked from the outside. Inside, six-year-old Sofia sat curled up in the corner of her oversized velvet armchair, clutching a stuffed rabbit to her chest, listening intently to the faint creak of floorboards outside in the hallway.
A shadow flickered beneath the crack of the nursery door.
Footsteps—smooth, measured, and deliberate—approached the handle.
Click.
The brass knob turned. The door swung open slowly, hinges whispering in the quiet night.
Elena stood in the doorway, framed by the dim amber light of the hallway sconces. She wasn't wearing her evening gown anymore; she wore a dark silk blouse and trousers, her hair pulled back into a severe, utilitarian ponytail. In her hand, she carried a small, leather medical case.
"Sofia, darling," Elena said, her voice dripping with a sickening, artificial sweetness that sent a chill through the room. "Why aren't you asleep yet? We have an early flight to catch in the morning."
Sofia didn't move. She pulled the stuffed rabbit tighter against her chin, her big eyes fixed on her mother with unmistakable defiance. "You're a bad person," the little girl whispered, her voice surprisingly steady. "Daddy knows. Maria told me."
Elena’s smile vanished instantly. Her features hardened into something sharp and predatory.
"Maria has a very short memory," Elena murmured, stepping across the threshold and closing the door softly behind her. "And as for your father... well, your father is about to have another unfortunate medical relapse. One that he won't wake up from."
Elena popped the metal latches of the medical case. Inside lay a fresh set of vials and a heavy-duty steel syringe—not a sedative this time, but something far more lethal.
"It’s a tragedy, really," Elena continued, walking slowly toward the armchair, her eyes locked on her daughter. "A grieving widow, a tragic accident during a late-night medical emergency. The insurance investigators won't look twice. And you and I, Sofia... we’ll start a wonderful new life in Zurich."
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Sofia scrambled backward off the armchair, hitting the nursery wall. "Stay away from me!"
Elena raised the syringe, her face twisted in a cold, triumphant smirk. "Be a good girl, Sofia. Just like your father, you'll feel much better once you go to sleep."
