ley Manor loomed ahead, their sharp

nged shut behind them. The metallic crash echoed in Beth

ne buzz

rd missed call

ure of disgust and residual fear. She pressed the power button, held it down un

base of the massive granite st

f Long Island Sound whipped the hem of her trench coat around he

ding on the porch. Her gray hair was pulled into a tigh

ok Beth's coat. Her hands

and foyer, she noticed the

eting. Instead, they quickly averted their eyes and scurried away into the adjace

The isolation protoc

e attorneys for Mr. Gaston Langley were here this morning. They spent two hours in

t, but she forced her face

ion. They were moving to freeze her assets be

calm. "Please bring a pot of hot chamomile tea

to say more, but she nodded an

up the sweeping

her steps faltered. Her eyes were drawn aga

here Essie

pierced Beth's brain. It wasn't a soun

t she couldn't fully read, demanding her compliance. It was a phantom weight pressing do

bit the inside of her cheek. She forced her legs to move, physic

oor open and loc

ilk drapes, antique furniture, and a massive

n closet. Hidden behind a row of d

igit code. A small red lase

l door clicked

nds and pulled out a slim, black leathe

sounded at he

Martha's voice ca

a stood there holding a silver tray, the porc

nside," Bet

placed the tray on t

he checkbook, uncapped the pen, and began to write. The scr

ressive flourish, tore the check from

s on her apron and to

s. All the color instant

ped against the table. A few drops of h

her voice shaking. "This is... this is te

h the check back

fully shoved the check deep in

omising. "And you will pack your bags and leave this esta

, tears welling up i

r tone softening just a fraction. "Anyone standing too close t

th's pale face, the dark circles under her ey

ht she was looking at a woman who had give

rabbed Beth's cold hands

her cheeks. "Don't do anything foolish. Whatever it is, it

nful ache through Beth's chest. In this entire fabricated, toxic world

pulled her

n the eye. A small, shar

f, Martha," Beth said quietly

intensity in Beth's eyes. But the absolute auth

owed her head deeply, an

ked shut. The

e vanished from her face, repl

ion. The script had designed her to be the beautiful, wicked villai

led out a silver letter opener. The blade was r

It was her and Lachlan on their wedding day. He was smiling

She drove the sharp point direct

gged the blade down, slicing the photograph pe

ruined frame int

essive series of chimes

d turned her phone on when

ood of news push notifications cascaded down the scree