Chapter 6 - The ResurrectionThe entire party descended into dead, absolute silence.
Two hundred heads snapped around simultaneously toward the upper terrace.
I stood at the top of the marble stairs, holding a tall glass of sparkling water.
I was wearing a breathtaking, custom red Alexander McQueen gown that hugged my healthy, restored figure flawlessly. My hair was styled in a chic updo, my makeup striking, and around my neck rested my late mother’s famous fifty-carat diamond choker. I looked radiant, powerful, and unmistakably, vibrantly alive.
Beside me stood my lead attorney, Samuel Sterling, holding a thick leather briefcase, flanked by District Attorney Marcus Vance and four LAPD detectives in dark suits.
Richard dropped the champagne bottle. It shattered against the white marble floor, splashing foam over his expensive leather shoes. His face drained of every single drop of color, turning a sickening, ghostly ash-grey.
Sienna shrieked, backing away so fast she nearly tripped over her gown.
“V... Victoria?!” Richard gasped, his voice cracking into a high-pitched, hysterical squeak. “How... what... you’re dead! You’re supposed to be dead!”
I descended the grand staircase with slow, deliberate grace, my heels clicking rhythmically against the stone, every eye in the room glued to me in utter disbelief.
“I know how much you were looking forward to my funeral, darling,” I said smoothly, stepping onto the main terrace, a dazzling smile gracing my lips. “And I must admit, you threw a lovely party to celebrate my passing.”
“This... this is an outrage!” Richard stammered, sweating profusely as he looked frantically at the crowd of board members who were staring at him in utter shock. “You’re delusional! You’re suffering from end-stage cancer hallucinations! Someone call an ambulance! Get her back to her room!”
“Oh, I don't need an ambulance, Richard,” I chuckled softly, gesturing toward Samuel Sterling. “You see, there was a minor administrative mix-up at Memorial Health three months ago. A barcode error.”
Samuel pulled a certified document from his briefcase and held it up for the news cameras and board members to see.
“Three months ago, Mrs. Victoria Sterling was given an incorrect lab file,” Samuel announced loudly and clearly. “Her actual MRI and blood work—validated by three independent medical boards—show zero cancerous cells. Victoria is completely, perfectly healthy.”
A massive gasp erupted from the crowd of guests. Board members began whispering furiously among themselves.
Richard’s jaw trembled. “A... a mix-up? No... no! That’s impossible! You were dying! You were drinking the—”
May you like
He cut himself off mid-sentence, realization hitting him like a freight train, his eyes widening in pure horror.
“Drinking the tea, Richard?” I finished his sentence for him, stepping right up to his podium, looking down at him with icy contempt. “The tea spiked with Thallium heavy metals that you personally served me every night?”
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