ing A

the room and immedia

ey were poor, but she

their daughter with indifference, they still gave her a generous dowry when she married. Yet, after her mother passed awa

't slow down. Finally, she spotted a hidden comp

down, pried open the compartme

cked. At a glance, she estimated there

ply stuffed them into her pocket, makin

y possible hiding place. Eventually, she discovered another secret compar

ck

n, she pulled out a

he room to ensure she hadn't missed anything, and then rest

the door behind her and ret

tfully hers. If her instincts were correct,

tself had been part

adn't even discovered

ed the cash: $1,652.70-a mi

f it must have been the compensat

the money away and dri

e up, it was

twatch, she realized

f this body-must have had good taste. It was a Plum

bun from her storage space-one she had b

ime inside remained frozen. Anything

kitchenware for her storage space. That

rivileged young woman, Samantha w

ext M

ared out all the toast her stepmother

and mom!" Leticia shrieked, glarin

as the sound of the

te the eggs. Leticia was

d her mother. Once she received the payment, she dust

, there was a certain charm to it. The air wa

that the Carters had come knocking

s, were t

embered they had a granddaug

me that afternoon, her fa

st likely trying to get their hands on

ens continu

us, continued preparing for

s Before

-quilts, thick winter coats, and pants she had commission

ome, she sensed

asked a woman gossipi

ne else, didn't bother to look u

yside. We got the notice directly from the local office-everyone was shocked! What did they

mantha, whose face was clean and youthful,

diately choked

onlookers als

e had your fill of drama. Time to head ho

that, the cr

y, a rolling pin

casually reaching out and

ad and smirked, her expression cocky. "Oh

on't be ridiculous! I'm asking you-did you

il and Leticia so

don't have a clue," Samantha said

and shut the doo

e family

teful brat?!" Her father sputtered, looking

wered behind the men l

scoffed.

ffened, their faces

n't like that? Well, if you have a prob

re before flinging it past her fath

icia screamed, clutchin

e was too fast-he hadn't e

at them with amusement. "If any of yo

auntered back to her room,

e in a mix of shock,

e pitiful girl they could bully

and Abigail scrambled to undo Let

ptions, they not only failed, but also ended

ain was ready to depart, carrying

and Lucas some pocket money, they also handed them

ile, S

bed her suitcase and backpack, and boarde

reluctantly bade

The floor was cluttered with luggage, and various smells mi

from her, her eyes red and puffy like a

miserable, Sama

next to Brandon-the guy with a rock for a brain. And Luca

e rural work program. Are you also going to the countryside?" The g

otted her cheeks. Still, they didn't take

antha. I'm also assig

in the same village." Sasha beamed

ced at Brando

instead of paying attention to him, felt inexplicably ann

tryside in Grant County with my Sister..." Leticia h

one used to being bullied, ner

d, Brandon frowned. "Samantha,

tha:

is this guy

and shut off her awareness of the outside wo

is nonsense, she might

ng her for a while. She didn't know what to do with the

make use of

as Samantha ignored everyone. Letici

he exchange, was

rself farming. By the time she finished,

p, it was alrea

ching in her seat, she stood up under the pretense of usin

ate until she was full, had a drink, and eve

d out the window, appreciating the pitc

moment

ttle. As the saying went: "Whe

ealth had been periodically donated, and she had even written a will ensurin

arents would have been able

is was a chance

at the Green f

out buying cotton and fabric to make padded

ska was much co

H-

that he choked on his food. His face turned red as he frantically reac

reath before Abigail burst into t

y-it's gone! All

in disbelief. "What a

completely gone! Everything is gone

where they kept their savings was lying open on the floor, its contents compl

felt dizzy, his v

th, he growled,

girl, Samantha! That ungrateful brat must've been eyeing ou

ollars! Abigail felt as though

. "I said, ca

ere could they ev

nd the arrival of the police caused qu

bigail's own footprints, there were no signs of a third person entering th

was clear: it wa

meaning, but Bowie did. And s

Bowie's mind. He had always known that A

xpected her to

Abigail's hometown-her nephew had just gotten e

int appeared i

lly unaware, too busy planning how to send

n the

r food container. Inside was a portion of rice, s

cent

ard Brandon. " I can't finis

sion turned slightly embarrassed before he gratefully acc

raised an

s that ki

she recalled w

st, hoping to take advantage of her generosity. But when he realized she was fier

e had stolen Samantha's "man," had be

het

t her own lunch: An Energy bar, two

ound her glanced

e could afford to eat so

ored them an

react, was fuming as she c

n sharing food moments ago-suddenly

ha muttered, "Keep staring at m

hed, her face

e tension, immedi

apped. "She only glanced at you a coupl

her last bite and

row of seats arranged i

med like he was from a rural area too. However, his clean-cut appear

him. "Does your fami

supposed to mean?" He had a

cking your nose in ot

d the man's face darkened as he glar

in," she

ou

a full sentence? If it doesn't concern

ying to control his anger. When he looked at Leticia, who appeared on the ve

erfering. Not wo

o. She raised an eyebrow at Sasha, gree

ed, the atmosph

g up drama, but every so often, they'd

ever reflected on their own actio

that. She was just giving them a taste of their o

eyes and drifte

tination Grant county was a rural county outside Lincoln, in a small farming comm

siblings were placed, bu

t it ma

ase in hand, Samantha looked much more relaxed than

had to transfer to a bus that

ndow and pulled out an orange peel to sniff, hop

and in the aisle, swaying with every bump i

icia," Brandon said, frowning at

e's about to faint," the same man who had

tive, but he still disliked

men on the b

er doesn't look well.

and strong;

s,

f agreemen

st sat there, looking helpless,

xchanged uneasy glances. Sasha wanted t

e with mild amusement. "Give up

where's you

ndness depends on the person. Should I b

ell over

lying!" Leticia'

you into the river, why was she th

er orange peel. "Yelling instead of being polite, huh? Looks like

s fell

with two other passengers who had suffered under

stepfather too. I had no money for the hospital. Whether

't-" Letici

uld just move on as family. Otherwise, given your swimming skills, you'd have been the obvious culprit. But

n. "Stay seated, Miss. Some people think they can take adva

went dea

ing up would only ma

miliar-like something straight ou

ver of the dim light, she shot

with fire fe

man who had spoken on he

by her smile. Samantha actua

said. "We're all

talk, Leticia and her

arm trucks were already waiting at the station. Each

een Hill Farm and saw that thre

ent, Henry wa

she recognized one-Kyle, the guy who ha

barked. He looked to be in his forties, wearin

d he was the fa

she said with a polite

t said nothing, simply taking a

utes, the final th

narrowed

Lucas, an

. What a c

m didn't look pl

eam leader orde

total. None looked like th

ack, folding her

t a lot more

uad leader steered the wagon onto

the first guy who had arrived: Wil

rogance-kids from big cities always acted

ront, near where the squad leader held the reins. Taking advantage of the angle that

glanced at her,

king her already. She had spunk. And the cigarettes? Well, tha

ractor passes through and gives folks a lift. But we don't make many trips into town-there's a general stor

kled. "Sounds

ted easily with the squad lead

ting quickly-a sight t

just putting on a show. What good was i

, Samantha's backside was numb. The expressions on the

rolling hills. The landscape was quiet and peaceful, but only if you ignored the baref

thered wooden cabins at the base of the

alled out. Inside, the resident youth workers, who had been in

mothy -he's in charge of the dorms," the foreman said, nodding toward an older young

t twenty-six, with a strong, square-jawed face

shared dining area in the middle. Right now, we've got three men and four wome

ed. Now, things were going to be even more cramped, which did

idents didn't

you don't have any work credits yet, you'll have to borrow supplies

ng a little lost, now had at leas

er and walked toward the last cabin on t

. If you take it, you'

ich were slightly bigger and housed two or thr

place?!" Lucas snapped,

some people just have to

d. That cabin is the smallest one, and it doesn't have a

everyone take a look inside. Imme

ne any other furniture. If you squeezed a cabinet

at Samantha overrode her distaste. She put on a pitiful exp

octor. You're not dying," S

rp glance at L

r one more time, do you really

a's expression twisted briefly before s

whom had seen their fair share of

to Timothy. "Alright, I'll take th

e," Timothy

mantha rolled up her sle

inner while watching her move in and out, clearing dust and

used t

adlock from her suitcase, fastened it on the door,

ie, sniffed. "She doesn't se

e dis

of the commune. Two pieces of candy were enough to bribe a

ered timber, but the foreman's house was half-

the woman in the yard with a warm s

o see a young girl with bright eyes and

The boys in the brigade we

le. "Well, hello there, Sa

rown sugar. "I was wondering who I should talk to about building

nd took Samantha's arm. "Come on, I'll introduce you to

r to Margaret's daughter-in-law while they walked

d off as they disap

grinned as she weighed th

homestead. Margaret cupped her hands around h

most folks wer

h the yard, drawing the

felt like she wa

she could

aken aback when they saw Samantha. My g

t announced matter-of-factly. "She'd like to hire you to build a heat

I'd like to settle in as soon as possible, s

e pieces and Samantha didn't have her own lumber, the cost would be a bit hi

oo large), $4 for the chest of drawers, and an extra $2 for labor. She wasn't strapped for ca

e bed ready by this afternoon, and the wardrobe will take a couple of days.

nds good. I really ap

I'll also need a stool, a wooden tub,

ing in one go since she'd

make, and we've got some ready-made ones in the shed. You can c

19-was tall and broad-shouldered. Hearing

. Mr. Kane, how much do yo

ering was. However, Samantha had arrived with just a suitcase, and

owingly. He understood immediately-this girl h

he said, "$15 sh

ed slightly. "

age of others, nor did she le

e it

her bag and pulled out two handfuls of candy, h

for you all. Shar

candies filled

ter, widened her eyes in shock.

ng there was no point arguing, and decided he'd make Samantha a bigger

tching the treats carefully

antha and Margaret left the

tched with amusement as they scuffled, clearly establishing some sort of pecking orde

over, and everyone was lounging

a walked in, all e

oying the attention just

ust now?" Naomi asked, her

e others from their earlier introductions. She

she replied smoothly,

ed, but before she could press f

turned at

aring into a pair of

is dark hair neatly trimmed just above his brows.

What do we

ebrow internally but d

otice Naomi's expression had comple

n, you'

y-sweet tone, making Samantha

d her with a nod, heading

unteer-snorted. "Naomi, are you bli

rassed. She shot him a glare

arely stifled his laughter. Even the

ened the mood quite like

aomi snapped, slammin

ed to Samantha, his expression suddenly shifting to a friendly gri

charm made it h

man

n at the water pu

ed in surpr

ply gave Samantha a small nod befo

xchanged glances, sensing so

settle in, a voice call

we've got y

ed, carrying a stack of wooden fu

watched in

t so quickly, and the newer ones hadn't expected

an, nudging him with his elb

d?" Tristan s

mped his

ed in her room was being set up, but once the fire was prepped for the night,

already had plans to s

nished. A single-person heated

moved in, she locked her

bbed her introduction letter an

t a motel fo

f to settle in, and tomorrow was m

re letting her go. He had long since stopped be

something unexpected,