But even as despair threatened to consume me, a flicker of resolve ignited within. I clung to it, refusing to let their cruelty extinguish the fire of my spirit. I forced myself to focus, to breathe through the pain. My baby needed me. I wouldn’t let them win.

Chloe continued to film, her laughter an echo of madness that would haunt me. “This will go viral,” she snickered, oblivious to the gravity of the situation. Her callousness was a bitter reminder of the darkness that had taken root in this family.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I met their eyes with a steely gaze. “You may have the ticket,” I said, my voice hoarse but unwavering. “But you will regret this. All of you.”

Margaret scoffed, dismissing my words with a wave of her hand. “You’re in no position to make threats, Elena. You’re nothing without us.”

I held her gaze, unflinching. “I am not nothing. And this isn’t over.” My words hung in the air, a promise of reckoning that would come.