The sheer force of his shout made her stumble back a step. She forced her head up, her terrified eyes meeting his.
In his face, she saw no mercy, no path to escape. She knew he would not let this go until he had his answer. She realized her struggle was futile. She took a ragged breath, mustering what little courage she had left.
"Yes, Father," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I was the one who gave Adam the poisonous mushroom. I told him… I told him that if he considered me his older sister at all, he would eat it."
The confession hung in the air between them, a sickening admission of guilt. The fury in Ricky's eyes intensified, burning hotter.
"Anastasia," he thundered, his voice filled with a profound, bitter disappointment. "I thought you were just jealous of Adam, that you resented him because he would be the family heir, and not you. I never imagined you hated him so much that you would actually try to kill him."
