oth in her hand. The voices downstairs grew louder. Genevieve's tone w

shing through the lower corridor. Another voice - Ma

rs, moving slowly and quietly. She wasn't supposed to interfere, but s

steps when a figure appeared

wa

rmer than usual. He looked up at

down there

iling. She wanted to speak, to a

"Marie. Drop

seventeen, if that. The one always

r, voice low. "Mom's making a scene. Le

in his words. One step forward could put her in the middle of the mes

arted, but Rowan c

o survive here, you have t

Probably for the first ti

understood exactly how this house work

Rowan gave a faint nod and turned without a

ed down. The fight was still going

e wouldn't be able t

she'd betray her f

ownstairs slowly faded. But the damage was alre

a windowsill- probably alr

ty minutes, ever

ps. No rai

t seen an

mething. She tucked the cloth in a

l qu

she heard quiet sobs. Marie was leaning on

?", she asked gent

s barely more than a child, not even an adult ye

whispered. "Martha convinced

y didn't speak much, but Clara cared about everyone who wo

rk accident-which Marie didn't give much details about, and her mother was lef

e Clara, was raised in an abusive home. He left the

an orphanage, she had to leave once she came of age. A friend from the orphanage - o

ight think, 'wow, the Von Aelrichs a

hey hire them because they accept low

y'd think higher of the family's 'kind heart

all a

, it was all status

or most