Chapter 2 - The Breaches on the Coast
The silence in the dining room became instantly dense, suffocating, and heavy with impending disaster.
Claire’s mouth opened slightly, her lower lip trembling before she managed to snap it shut and force a defensive sneer back onto her face. “What are you talking about? I’m sitting right here eating Mom’s terrible roast beef. What could I possibly have done?”
“Your phone has been buzzing in your lap for the last ten minutes,” I noted softly, nodding toward her handbag resting on the spare chair. “Or did you forget that smart-home security systems ping every designated administrator when a secondary override code is entered?”
Travis frowned, looking back and forth between his wife and me. “Claire, what is she talking about? What code?”
“Nothing!” Claire snapped, her voice rising an octave too high, betraying her absolute panic. “She’s just trying to change the subject because she got caught being a selfish bitch!”
My phone buzzed a third time.
Carmel House — Living Room Camera Active.
I tapped the notification, unlocking my phone with Face ID, and mirrored my home security feed directly onto the center of the dining table. The high-definition screen illuminated the dark, polished wood with the crystal-clear livestream of my Carmel living room.
On the screen, three teenagers—none of whom I recognized, dressed in expensive party streetwear and holding red plastic cups—were casually walking past my father’s hand-carved mahogany bookshelf, laughing loudly as they inspected my art collection.
Mom gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. “Good lord... who are those kids in your house?”
Travis shot out of his chair so fast his wineglass tipped over, spilling deep red liquid across the white tablecloth. He stared down at the tablet screen, his face turning pale green. “Claire... are those your friends' kids? Did you give them the code?”
“I... I just said they could look around!” Claire shrieked, finally shattering completely as she stood up, knocking her chair backward onto the hardwood floor. “It’s a big empty house! They promised they’d keep it clean! They just wanted to take some Instagram photos on the deck before the party this weekend!”
I picked up my water glass, took a slow, measured sip, and set it down.
“You gave my security code to teenagers?” I asked quietly. “A code tied to a disabled emergency override that you weren't even supposed to remember?”
“You wouldn't let us use it legally!” Claire wailed, hot tears of rage springing to her eyes. “You forced me to do this! You have millions of dollars sitting empty while my friends think I’m a failure! I wanted to show them I belong in Carmel just as much as you do!”
“You don’t belong anywhere near my property,” I said, standing up from the table. The tomato sauce smeared across my white blouse felt stiff and cold against my skin, but my mind was operating with terrifying, razor-sharp clarity.
I tapped my screen twice, executing a remote command through my master administrative profile.
Carmel House — Master Lockdown Initiated.
Across the state, three hundred miles away on the California coast, heavy steel security shutters dropped instantly over every glass window and sliding door. The smart locks clicked shut, deadbolting all entry points. Simultaneously, high-decibel strobe lights and a pre-recorded automated voice began echoing through my living room: “Attention unauthorized visitors. This property is under federal and private surveillance. Local law enforcement has been dispatched. Please exit immediately.”
On the screen, we watched the teenagers drop their red cups in sheer terror, screaming as they scrambled blindly toward the side gate, only to find the biometric turnstiles locked tight.
Claire stared at the screen, her eyes wide with absolute horror. “You... you locked them in? Elena, they’re kids! They’re going to call the police!”
“Good,” I replied coldly. “Let them explain to the sheriff why they were trespassing in a felony-level smart home.”
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Travis grabbed the edge of the table, his breathing ragged. He looked at me with pure, unadulterated venom. “You psychotic witch. You’re destroying her life over a security alert?”
“No, Travis,” I said, turning my gaze from my sister to her husband. “I’m just getting started on yours.”
