Victoria shoved Tyler back against the heavy wooden banister with surprising force, her breathing ragged and sharp.
Tyler: Get your hands off me!
Victoria: You have no idea what kind of fire you are playing with, Tyler.
Tyler: I know you've been lying to Dad for two straight years.
Victoria: Your father trusts me completely. I manage his life insurance, his trusts, and every single cent tied to this family business.
Lily: Tyler... look at the flowers on the wall. They moved.
Tyler glanced down at his little sister, his voice softening instantly despite his racing pulse.
Tyler: What moved, Lily? Are you okay?
Lily: The wallpaper. There was a scratch sound right behind the rose pattern.
Victoria's eyes widened, a sudden flicker of pale dread cutting straight through her vicious sneer.
Victoria: It's mice. The pest control guys are coming tomorrow morning.
Tyler: Mice don't make tapping sounds that spell out three steady beats.
Victoria: Both of you are losing your minds just like your mother did before she abandoned her custody rights.
Tyler: Mom loved us more than her own life. She would have never signed a custody waiver.
Victoria: The legal documents proved it in court! The divorce lawyer handed over her signed statement!
Tyler: A signature you forged before Dad gave you power of attorney over the entire mansion.
Victoria raised her hand, striking Tyler across the cheek with a loud, stinging crack that echoed through the high ceilings.
Lily: Stop! Please don't hurt him!
Tyler wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, tasting blood, but refused to back down an inch.
Tyler: Hit me again. Go ahead. Prove how scared you really are.
Victoria: I am the lady of this house! You will show me respect or I will have your father send you to military boarding school by Monday.
Tyler: Dad's coming home right now. His flight landed an hour ago.
Victoria paused, her face turning chalk-white under the warm chandelier lights.
Victoria: He told me his corporate meeting in Chicago was extended until tomorrow night.
Tyler: I texted him twenty minutes ago and told him Lily was screaming in terror.
Victoria: You little snake...
Lily: Tyler, it's scratching again! It's right there!
Lily pointed her trembling finger directly at the ornate vintage floral wallpaper near the baseboard.
A faint, dry scraping noise drifted through the dead silence of the foyer.
Victoria: That's enough! Both of you, march upstairs to your rooms this instant!
Tyler: No. We're staying right here until Dad walks through that door.
Victoria reached into her designer purse sitting on the entryway table and pulled out a heavy brass key ring.
Victoria: If you won't walk up, I'll lock you both in the cellar until you learn your place.
Tyler: Try it, Victoria. Just try it.
Before she could take another step toward Tyler, the heavy front double doors rattled violently against their frame.
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