Cordelia slowly reached her uninjured right hand toward the silver dagger resting on the bed.
Scarlett's eyes lit up with triumphant glee. Her glossy lips curled into a vicious, victorious smirk.
Cordelia's fingers wrapped firmly around the cold silver hilt of the weapon. The metal bit into her palm.
Scarlett leaned back slightly. She opened her mouth, preparing to offer more manipulative words of encouragement.
Suddenly, Cordelia's grip tightened on the hilt. Her knuckles turned stark white with the force of her hold.
With lightning speed, Cordelia lunged forward. She grabbed Scarlett's right wrist with her injured left hand.
Scarlett yelped in genuine surprise. She tried to pull her arm back, but the sudden grip caught her completely off guard.
Cordelia ignored the tearing, burning pain in her bandaged wrist. She held Scarlett in an iron vice grip.
Cordelia forcefully dragged Scarlett's hand over her own. She pressed Scarlett's fingers tightly around the hilt of the dagger.
Before Scarlett could process the movement, Cordelia pulled Scarlett's arm aggressively toward her own body.
Cordelia plunged the sharp tip of the dagger directly into her own left shoulder.
A sharp gasp escaped Cordelia's lips as the cold metal pierced her flesh. The pain was blinding and immediate.
Bright red blood instantly bloomed across the pristine white silk of her nightgown, spreading like a horrific watercolor painting.
Scarlett froze in absolute horror. Her hand was still physically trapped on the dagger's hilt, pushing it into Cordelia's skin.
Cordelia released Scarlett's wrist. She let the other woman's arm drop limply to the mattress.
Cordelia let out a blood-curdling, terrified scream. The sound echoed violently through the massive penthouse.
She screamed: "Scarlett! Please! Don't kill me! Please!"
Scarlett stammered, her eyes wide with panic: "I--I didn't--Cordelia, what are you--"
In the adjoining study, Damien heard the scream. He kicked the connecting door wide open without even touching the knob.
The heavy wood crashed against the wall. The doorframe splintered loudly under the sheer force of his kick.
Damien charged into the bedroom. He moved like a furious, unleashed apex predator defending its mate.
His eyes locked immediately onto the dark blood pouring rapidly from Cordelia's shoulder.
He saw Scarlett standing over the bed. Her hand was hovering mere inches from the dagger embedded in Cordelia's flesh.
A guttural roar of pure, unadulterated rage ripped from Damien's throat: "GET AWAY FROM HER!"
He crossed the massive bedroom in two long strides. He grabbed Scarlett directly by the throat.
He hurled Scarlett backward with terrifying, brutal force. He sent her flying through the air.
Scarlett crashed heavily into a glass side table. The thick glass shattered loudly, raining shards over the carpet.
Scarlett collapsed to the floor, gasping for air, clutching her bruised neck.
Damien dropped heavily to his knees beside the bed. His large hands hovered over Cordelia, trembling violently.
His face was pale with shock. His previous anger was completely replaced by a desperate, suffocating terror.
Cordelia looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. She whispered: "Damien... I was so scared. So scared."
