mph. She caught herself almost immediately, her expression dissolving int

lready welling in her eyes. "She's gone crazy.

legs of her wrought-iron chair scraping harshly against the stone. "Aria

About appearances. "Do you have any idea how much time and money we have p

d so freely upon Seraphina. She had reduced herself to a quiet, compliant shadow-wearing the conservative clothes Eliza chose, attending the school Eliza preferred, and ultimately accepting the arranged engagement to Ethan just to hear her mother say she was proud. She had truly believed that being perf

refully maintained facade of the gracious society ma

e picked up from some forgotten town in Pennsylvania! We gave you everything-this hous

. But having already tasted the ash of her own funeral, the sting was completely gone. The illusion of family had burned away i

life," Aria replied evenly

a placating hand on Aria's arm. "Mom is just worried about you. Etha

r. "You want him? You can have him. But stop

at being called out so directly. Seeing her precious

ppening. You will walk down that aisle, or I will personally see to it that you are

an and saw the murderer she truly was. A cold

rned t

e two household staff who had co

ed to block Aria's path to the house. Aria stopped and turned back slowly, her gaze lockin

er voice soft. The use of her first name, without the ho

stunned into silence

I leave? Afraid I might start asking questions about certain... family secrets?" She paus

ased on a fragment of a drunken argument she'd once ove

ified, her eyes darting instinctively toward Seraphina, who

a croaked at the maids, he

d back, thei

. She walked past her stunned sister and her terrified mother, her