Chapter 10 - The Desperate Scramble.
The nurse ducked sharply to the side, narrowly avoiding Victoria's frantic, clawing swipe.
Victoria stumbled forward from the momentum, crashing heavily into the edge of the mahogany table.
Papers scattered across the floor like dead leaves caught in a sudden gust of wind.
Richard cursed loudly under his breath, abandoning his initial shock to close the distance between himself and the intruder.
"Give me that recorder right now!"
Richard barked, his face twisting into a mask of pure, unadulterated menace.
The nurse tightened her grip on the device, backing away toward the open bedroom door.
"You're too late, Richard," the nurse panted, her heart hammering against her ribs.
"The file uploaded three seconds ago; the authorities already have your confession."
Victoria pushed herself up from the floor, her hair disheveled and her eyes wild with animalistic panic.
"She's lying! Don't let her get out of this room!"
Victoria shrieked, pointing a trembling finger at the door.
Richard lunged forward with surprising speed, grabbing the nurse by the collar of her jacket.
The fabric strained under his tight, powerful fist, choking off her breath for a brief second.
The nurse swung her elbow backward with all her remaining strength, connecting solidly with his ribs.
Richard let out a sharp grunt of pain, his grip loosening just enough for her to wrench herself free.
She turned on her heel and bolted down the dimly lit hallway toward the balcony doors.
"Stop right there!"
Richard roared behind her, his heavy footsteps thundering against the hardwood floor like falling timber.
The grandmother watched the chaotic scene from her bed, her chest heaving as a fragile sliver of hope reignited in her eyes.
"You won't... you won't get away with this," the old woman whispered to the empty air, clutching the blankets tightly.
The nurse burst through the glass sliding door into the cool night air of the upper balcony.
She didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second, scrambling over the stone balustrade toward the exterior drainpipe.
Richard reached the doorway just in time to see her sliding down the metal pipe toward the terrace below.
"Damn it!"
Richard slammed his fist against the doorframe, his knuckles splitting open against the stone.
Victoria joined him at the balcony edge, watching the nurse land safely on the grass below and sprint toward the perimeter fence.
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"We have to pack our bags right now," Victoria hissed, her voice trembling with rising hysteria.
"If the police arrive before we wipe the home security servers, we are going to prison for the rest of our lives."
