Chapter 5: The Walls Close In
Back at the penthouse, the silence was deafening. Arthur paced the length of the marble floor, his hands running frantically through his hair. Eleanor sat rigidly on the velvet sofa, an ice pack pressed against her swelling cheek, her eyes darting nervously toward the elevator doors.
"You let her walk out!" Eleanor hissed, the venom returning to her voice. "You pathetic, weak boy. Do you realize what she's going to do? She's a Thorne!"
"What was I supposed to do, Mother? Restrain her?" Arthur snapped, his voice cracking with panic. "I tried to call Elias. His phone is dead. I tried the security desk downstairs. Nothing. It's like we've been cut off."
Eleanor’s face paled beneath her makeup. She dropped the ice pack. "Check the service elevators. Lock the reinforced doors. Now, Arthur!"
Arthur rushed to the foyer, pressing the buttons for the private elevator. The digital display blinked red. System Override. He sprinted to the heavy oak double doors leading to the main corridor and pulled the brass handles. They wouldn't budge. The electronic mag-locks had been engaged from the outside.
May you like
"Mother," Arthur whispered, turning back to face the sprawling living room. "We're locked in."
A deep, visceral dread settled over the penthouse. The luxury they had lorded over Jane for years had suddenly transformed into a gilded tomb. The smart-home system hummed to life, the automated blinds slowly lowering, plunging the massive space into an artificial twilight. They were trapped, and the predators were circling in the dark.
