Chapter 5 - Cornered on the Eighth Floor
Vanessa walked smoothly into the room, keeping the gun leveled directly at Nora’s chest. Her expression wasn't angry; it was terrifyingly calm, like a corporate executive reviewing a routine spreadsheet.
"You should have stayed in the hospital, Nora," Vanessa murmured, glancing at the glowing computer screen. "It would have been so much cleaner. A tragic story of a crazy, pregnant wife who poisoned her husband out of jealousy and died of pre-eclampsia in police custody."
Nora stood up slowly, her hand grasping the edge of Ethan’s heavy mahogany desk to steady her trembling legs. "You poisoned him. You’ve been poisoning him for weeks."
Vanessa chuckled softly, walking around the leather armchairs. "Ethan was getting too smart for his own good. He started asking questions about the Apex Bio-Tech accounts. Do you have any idea how much money is involved in synthetic glycoside manufacturing, Nora? Fifty million dollars. And Ethan was going to ruin it all over a moral crusade."
"He trusted you!" Nora yelled, her voice echoing off the glass walls. "He treated you like family!"
"He treated me like an employee!" Vanessa snapped, her eyes flaring with sudden, bitter venom. "I built this foundation! I did the dirty work while Ethan sat in his corner office playing the noble philanthropist! He didn't deserve any of it!"
Nora’s mind raced. She glanced toward the window. The blizzard was howling outside, snow slamming against the reinforced glass.
"The police know about the paprika," Nora said, trying to stall. "Detective Ross is investigating the grants."
"Detective Ross thinks you put the digitoxin in the paprika," Vanessa countered with a cold smile. "I personally planted that jar in your spice rack three days ago when I brought over those baby clothes. Your fingerprints were already on it because you used it last week for your chicken marinade. It was ridiculously easy."
Vanessa raised the gun, aiming it straight between Nora’s eyes.
"And now, you're going to write a confession note on Ethan’s computer, and then you're going to take a nice, long leap off the eighth-floor balcony. Tragic end to a tragic woman."
"No," Nora whispered.
Suddenly, a massive contraction ripped through Nora’s abdomen. The pain was so intense that her legs gave out completely. She collapsed onto the carpet with a sharp scream, grabbing her belly.
"Oh, please," Vanessa sneered, stepping closer. "Don't play the dramatic mother card now—"
Nora reached out with her free hand, grabbing the heavy brass desk lamp by its cord, and yanked it with all her remaining strength.
The heavy lamp crashed off the desk, striking Vanessa directly across her face and shoulder.
CRASH!
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Vanessa shrieked in pain, the gun slipping from her hand and skittering across the smooth hardwood floor.
Nora didn't hesitate. Ignoring the blinding agony in her body, she scrambled on her hands and knees, snatched the gun off the floor, and backed into the hallway, slamming the heavy office door shut behind her.
