ce quivered, not from fear but fro

hing for you ever since. The only reason I'm standing here now is because the national information system got upgr

, her eyes carrying a guarded edge. Considering she'd barely escaped

round and leave, or I'll make you

if no one raised a hand against

expression only made

t in Qidence City. On Christmas, when you were just three, there was a huge celebrat

w and deliberate. "The wealthiest

broke down on the way. I borrowed the bike from a villager just so I cou

ur stories. Leave," Eliana snapped

pped in a burning house,

d out a fish-shaped jade pendant. "Here. This is half of the pendant Dad had ma

s palm, something flickered in Eliana's eyes. Her grip o

pendant she'd worn for years. Its other ha

le. She wasn't just a lookalike; she was the s

he resemblance to their mother.

'Eliana Murray', doesn't it?" h

ing was so subtle. Was he telling the truth? T

fway, she asked, "Where exa

the neighboring village,"

his turns out to be a trick, you won't live to

, fumbling onto the battered bike parked a

forget it when a sudden wave o

she steadied herself and swu

, "Sit ti

. Follow that path

id, pushing the

the soft, delicate little sister he'd picture

ward the neighboring village, the pe

passed without crossing paths

ter, the neighboring v

her best to push the drug's effect

a sleek black luxury car by the road. Its front end d

it's fine. I already called the nearest repair s

ng out a spare and a set of tools like she'd done it a hund

u doing?" Ca

mn tire," Elia

waiting wasn'

ver been worth trusting, and standing

o that?" Carl asked, disbel

, and within minutes, the spare was bolted on tight. With the bad tire k

he stood when she snapped, "

ed out of it, scrambling

You can change a tire like it's nothing. I can't even manage

the sheep," Eliana

had no idea things were this rough for you. Listen, once we're b

like a loosed arrow. His voice cracked in panic. "Slo

oice cold enough to cut. His con

sitate. Her right hand came down in a sharp, d

surged ahead, zigzagging along the roa

..

d the call with a grim look, ripping Neal's eye

yes open in annoya

ed down. Everyone ins

s made him sit upright

laid eyes on her in years, but she turned into quite the beauty. Selling her for thirty grand felt like a loss! We had a deal-after che

nd is the last thing we should worry about. Once I marry Kh

n't possibly measure up to Khloe Clarke, the indulged daug

t grow on trees..." Janessa mutte

ere alive, I'd never sleep easy. Imagine if Khloe found out I was once engaged to Eliana-she'd

half-smile. "I guess you're right. When we get back to Qidence, I'll stop

it? Pointless. Eliana's already gone, and whether you mourn her or not changes nothin

cut short by a loud ru

d packed from home came to mind, a

om between the wrappers and

al remarked, gesturing towa

ount ever since she started working. She knew it took over an hour to get to the bank, but she still refused

t straight to work. Do you really think she's saved up much? If the Clarke famil

d, he tried to snatch t

is still money! Even if she only put in a grand a mo

down his eye mask, and sh

they got to Qidence. She never appre

liana had given him, came to his senses and