w and deliberate. The maids and butler stared, their eye

nctively shrinking away from the

a's eyes. Then, the mask of the perfect sister slammed back

e so worried!" she cried, rushing forwar

y air. The gesture was subtle, but the rejection was absolute. Victoria

, scraping from her throat. "I thoug

ass. The light chatter in the room died instant

this. She hadn't expected this directness

. "I remember these hands," she said, her voice dangerously

her hands back, hiding them behind her bac

he stammered, forcing a nervous laugh. "You must

a could hear, the words a venomous whisper. "I'm alive, Victoria. And I remember ev

started to tremble, a violent, uncontrolla

e lying! You're insane!" she shri

backward, crashing into a delicate side table. The sound of splint

Harrison Beaumont and his wife, Helena Vanc

re?" Helena demanded, her

to her, collapsing into her ar

saying these horrible, crazy things, and then she... she attacked

er Chloe-the filthy, torn clothes, the horrifying scar-and her express

been gone for days, God knows where, and the first

is wife, his brow furrowed in a deep frown as h

r parents descended the stairs, she had subtly used her foot to kick a sharp, incriminatin

s' eyes. There was no pain, no plea fo

no one in this house would ever believ

e needed. Their scorn was a