ia's

corted" Brenda

a flicker of panic crossed her features. She quickly

is it? I heard about Em

My father's voice was ice. It c

vously. "I was... shoppi

r enough. Before Brenda arrived, my father had already retrieved the surveillance footage to v

, that. I lent it to a

e died on

ther's arm. I was the picture of fragile convalesce

eyes: venom, fear, and a flash of raw hatred. It was gone a

dear! You're alright

ocusing on the intricate pattern of the Persian

assessing, flicked from me to Brenda and back again. She didn't trust Brend

s," my father pressed, his voice dang

in her eyes. The performance was masterful. "She's always disliked m

jealous step-daughter-to-be. For a moment, my father wav

pt it hidden. I knew her weak point. I

py. "I... I couldn't see the man's face clearly. It was all so f

sobbing

had hit a mute button

he had seen that tattoo before, on one of the stable hands. The fury of a deceived Alph

"Get Rick from the stables. Now. And lock down the estate-I

to the floor, her face the

turned to leave the study, she leaned in clo

tain about w

lear and unwavering, held

She fell silent. In that moment, she understood. Her daughter, the quiet, pliable girl she had k

simply helped me back to my room, leavi

efficient but still distant. The ice w

d. "Don't involve yourself in thi

her trust. My weakness had always been a

e, I saw the first crack

s a s