ness was

lic electronic voice ech

initi

Cora's stomach lurched into her throat. She fel

nd her eyes

ezed her eyes shut and threw her hand up to shie

inted. A massive, ostentatious cryst

. She looked around. The room was huge, decorated in a heavy, oppressive Vic

f pure agony drove

to stop herself from screaming. Memories that

ise

ho smelled like cheap perfume and alcohol. A mother-in-law who spat ins

, leaving a dull thro

She swung her legs over the side of the bed. He

walked toward the massive vanity mirror across the room. She grip

d in a sha

kin, dark circles under terrified eyes, and a weak,

and and pinched h

ed against her ribs. This wasn't a dream. The physical sensations

vanity and opene

p. Heavy antidepressants. The label had Heloise's name on it. Sh

small leather diary lay hidden under a stack of ti

cessories. She finally found an old, bent bobby pin hidden in the corner of a cheap jewelry box

shaky. Page after page of desperate pleas. Fear o

ed into a sneer. She

ere, Cora deman

le

End si

ic voice echoed

plete the counterattack mis

t a harsh,

expensive, immersive torture her sister woul

, calculating rage. If Claudia wanted to play game

ng posture of Heloise Vance disappeared. Cora

-ceiling windows. She grabbed the heavy

sunlight floode

ar as she could see. Cora stared down at the perfect lawn

walked into the

sses hung on the racks. Grays, browns,

and ripped them off the hangers, throwi

ek, black silk robe. She pulled it on an

c thud of angry footsteps ec

The footsteps were heavy, fast, and completely lack

ntly. The metal scraped loudly a

enter in the middle of the bedroom. She stared at the

a

. It slammed against the

ping in heavy gold jewelry. Her face was pulled ti

rge. The mo

he middle of the room. A flicker of confusion crossed Marge's

e's habitual arrogance took over. She opened

looked down at the older woman. Her eyes were compl