Chapter 6 - The Return of the Queen
The spotlight shifted to the top of the stairs.
I stepped into the light.
The hall erupted into a wall of applause and shocked gasps. I stood tall in my black silk dress, my diamond choker flashing under the chandeliers, a quiet, serene smile resting on my lips. I looked completely untouched, utterly alive, and undeniably powerful.
Ethan’s eyes bulged out of his head. He stumbled backward, knocking over a tray of champagne glasses carried by a waiter. The loud CRASH rang out across the marble floor, but nobody noticed—all eyes were on me.
"No..." Ethan whimpered, his face draining of every drop of blood until he looked like a corpse himself. "No, no, no... she went over the cliff... I saw the flames... the truck burned..."
Megan covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide with unadulterated horror. "She’s a ghost... Ethan, she’s a ghost!"
I slowly descended the stairs, the crowd parting respectfully before me. I didn't look at the board members, the politicians, or the journalists. My eyes were locked entirely on the two terrified rats cowering near the back pillar.
I stopped five feet away from Ethan. Daniel Carter stepped up right behind my right shoulder, accompanied by two imposing men in dark suits.
"Hello, Ethan," I said softly, my tone as gentle as silk. "You look like you've seen a dead woman."
"Claire...?" Ethan’s voice cracked, dropping to a pathetic, tremulous squeak. "You're... you're alive? How... how are you alive?"
"A sweet woman named Ruth pulled me out of the truck seconds before it went over," I answered, tilting my head with cruel grace. "It’s amazing how fast life can change in four seconds, isn't it?"
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Ethan took a desperate step forward, raising his hands in a frantic pleading motion. "Claire! Baby! Oh thank God! I was beside myself! I thought I lost you! I’ve been going crazy for four days!"
"I know you’ve been going crazy, Ethan," I smiled, pulling a sleek silver recorder from my small evening clutch. "I’ve been listening to every single second of it."
