Chapter 5 - The Balcony
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The stone balcony overlooked the expansive, manicured gardens of the Voss estate. It was three stories up, a sheer drop down to the flagstone terrace below, broken only by the sprawling branches of an ancient oak tree.
I walked toward the edge, wrapping my arms around myself to ward off a sudden chill. The stone railing was an ornate, historical feature of the house, heavy and imposing. I reached out and placed my hands on the cold stone, leaning forward just slightly to look at the gardens.
Behind me, I heard the click of the French doors opening. I turned my head to see Adrian stepping out into the shadows. He looked pale, trembling slightly.
“Adrian,” I said, my voice low. “We need to talk about the accounts. Tomorrow. We need to talk about Ashbury Holdings.”
He stopped dead in his tracks. A look of sheer panic washed over his face. He looked back at the glass doors, where I could see Cordelia’s silhouette standing just inside the ballroom, watching us.
“Lily,” Adrian whispered, his voice cracking. “Please. Don’t make this harder.”
Before I could ask him what he meant, I felt a strange sensation beneath my hands. The heavy stone railing—the solid, historical barrier that had stood for a century—shifted. It didn't just wobble; it slid forward smoothly, unmoored from its heavy iron brackets.
I gasped, trying to pull my weight backward, but my momentum was already carrying me over the edge. I grabbed frantically at the stone, but the entire section gave way with a sickening scrape.
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I looked at Adrian one last time. He didn't reach for me. He just stood there, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, watching as gravity took hold of me.
The world vanished beneath my feet. The rushing wind roared in my ears. I didn't even have time to scream before I hit the heavy, unforgiving branches of the oak tree, my body snapping through the wood before plunging the rest of the way down to the stone terrace below.
