Chapter 2 - THE STEAK
Dinner lasted twenty-eight minutes before Daniel exploded.
Claire counted afterward.
The first ten minutes were almost normal.
Linda complained about the salad dressing.
Harold discussed the merger.
Daniel barely ate.
Then Harold pushed the folder toward Claire.
“Sign.”
Claire looked at it.
“What is it?”
“Estate clarification.”
She opened it.
Not estate clarification.
A beneficiary disclaimer.
Claire would acknowledge she had no ownership interest in any Bennett Heritage shares previously associated with Eleanor Reeves.
Her heart pounded.
They knew.
Maybe not that Claire knew.
But they knew the shares existed.
She looked at Harold.
“Why would I sign this?”
Linda smiled.
“Because your mother never truly owned those shares.”
“Then why do you need my signature?”
Silence.
Daniel’s face hardened.
“Don’t start.”
Claire closed the folder.
“I’m not signing.”
Harold said:
“You don’t understand what you’re refusing.”
Claire answered:
“Then explain it.”
Linda laughed.
“You always need everything explained.”
Daniel cut into his steak.
Stared at it.
Then looked at Claire.
“You overcooked this.”
Claire blinked.
“What?”
“The steak.”
“You cooked yours.”
“I asked you to watch it.”
“I was reading the document your father shoved at me.”
Daniel pushed his chair back.
Linda said:
“Here we go.”
Claire looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
“It means you always need drama.”
Daniel stood.
“Apologize.”
“For the steak?”
“For embarrassing my father.”
Claire laughed once.
Wrong move.
Daniel grabbed her wrist.
Hard.
“Daniel.”
He dragged her toward the stove.
Claire resisted.
“LET GO OF ME!”
He slammed her hand down toward the blazing burner.
The side of her palm struck the hot metal edge before she twisted away.
Pain ripped through her.
She screamed.
“LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY STEAK!”
Claire fought.
“LET GO OF ME!”
Daniel threw her onto the floor.
Linda stepped over her.
Picked up the wine.
Laughed.
“Pathetic.”
Then:
“Learn your place.”
Harold raised his glass.
“She deserved it.”
Claire lay on the tile crying.
Then Daniel crouched.
Grabbed her chin.
“You embarrass me again—”
He pointed toward the stove.
“—I use the other hand.”
Linda and Harold laughed.
Claire’s tears blurred the room.
Her left hand moved beneath her dress.
Found the panic transmitter.
Pressed once.
Then twice.
Silent alarm.
May you like
Daniel never noticed.
Four minutes later, the front door exploded inward.
