with a scream ca

clung to her,

hteenth birthday,

ay wasn't

Richard's supposed

tante ball, a

the custom gown

mily heirlooms, jewels that s

stood beside Richard, pl

rotesting, her voic

and cruel, declared h

ys brave, d

Richard's security

l, gravel

've always despised you bo

ze Amber, to make Lin

e darkness, the

ed acc

eanor Vance, was ov

her and daughter,

r heart pounding

her bed, in

eamed throug

It wa

birthday. The day t

nightstand rang,

t up, her ha

ichard's assista

tante ball preparations. They a

ts you to present Amber with the Hayes

ber wore in the nightmar

ld, then hot with a s

ag

sent over shortly,"

ve, custom-made "backup" jewe

nkets to placate Evelyn if she mad

been too broken to not

ime, s

orced display case in h

nestled on velvet. Beside it

e was a mask

statuette from a nearby tab

e crack, she brought

ds f

true heirloom, and grab

ashed them against

like ice. Gold twis

entered silently to check

ned, her e

original plan stands

d to the ru

kets aren't