6 In Retrospect

The search party had combed most of Greenvyle, and so far, nothing had been found—not even Sabrina’s body. Kyler continued to stand for interviews alongside Charlotte, both of them wearing sad expressions, with Charlotte even breaking down a few times.

The Archwoods chose to remain silent on the matter, Harrison only showing up for a short interview to express his grief and disappointment, but nothing more.

The next phase of their plan was to bribe the police into declaring her dead so they could all move on. Kyler and Charlotte would assume ownership of the company, and Reliana would be left all alone… again.

The two had stopped responding to her messages since that day and, in public, kept her at arm’s length. They were trying to disassociate from her now that they didn’t need her anymore, but Reliana wasn’t going to let that happen—not by a long shot.

“Lia?” Mira Archwood’s voice called from downstairs. “It’s time for dinner!”

Reliana folded the papers in her hand—papers that were proof Charlotte’s pregnancy was fake. She’d already suspected Charlotte was lying, especially after seeing her secretly gulp down an entire glass of wine while they celebrated the night they got rid of Sabrina, but this just confirmed it.

If she could get this to Kyler, then he would leave Charlotte and finally look at her the way she desperately wanted him to.

“Coming, Mom!” Reliana yelled back, rolling her eyes as she shoved the papers under her pillow.

She hated this place. She hated her father, who had left her mother and her alone for years. She hated her mother for being nothing more than a side piece until Harrison got bored with his wife and had to get rid of her. She hated the stupid family dinners they were forced to have in the name of bonding.

She’d wanted Sabrina out of the picture because she wanted the family all to herself, but in retrospect, she wanted very little to do with them. Now that she wasn’t so focused on blaming Sabrina for all her problems, she realized who was truly at fault.

If she had the money from the shares, she could have moved out—far away from here, preferably with Kyler.

Reliana made her way downstairs and begrudgingly sat at the dining table. Her chair was right next to where Sabrina used to sit, and she stared at it, tumultuous emotions flowing through her.

She could still remember Sabrina pleading with her before she shoved her down the cliff—her big, teary eyes, the desperation in her voice. She hadn’t stayed long enough to see what had become of her body, but…

Was it guilt she felt? Guilt for killing Sabrina? Or guilt for killing someone at all?

“Oh dear, don’t dampen the mood,” Mira said, serving her husband food with a short shake of her head.

Reliana snapped out of her thoughts and returned her attention to her parents. Harrison and Mira were already digging into their meals, but her stomach suddenly felt tight.

“Sorry,” was all she said.

“Are the search parties still ongoing?” Mira asked after a moment of silence. “I thought they’d have given up on finding her by now.”

“If she’s found, I hope she knows she has no place in this home,” Harrison said, slamming a fist against the table. “Foolish girl. She ruined the image of our company and our family. She’d better be dead in a ditch somewhere.”

“Calm down, honey,” Mira said, patting her husband’s shoulder. “I honestly doubt she’s alive. For them not to have found her by now… Well, I can’t say I’m sad about it. She was such an eyesore anyway.”

“The only issue I have is her giving away her mother’s company to the Grayson boy,” Harrison said, running a hand over his mouth. “The least she could’ve done was make up for the losses she caused.”

Mira scoffed, leaning back into her chair and shaking her head. “Sleeping with older men for money and to further her own ambition. She always acted so prim and proper. Who knew she was barely more than a cheap whore?”

“She’s always been such a disappointment,” Harrison continued. “Just like her mother. I agreed to marry her because of her family, you know. They were big and well-connected in the healthcare industry. Too bad she was so fucking useless and stingy with that company.”

“Well, now they’re both gone.” Mira poured a glass of wine for herself and Harrison, lifting it in a mock toast. The two laughed, and Reliana just watched, her stomach twisting with negative emotions.

Normally, she’d join in the jesting and mockery, but now all she could do was sit and listen to the sound of rain pouring outside.

Their laughter was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

“Are you expecting anyone?” Mira asked with a frown.

They both shook their heads, and the doorbell rang again—more insistently this time.

“And who the hell could that be?” Harrison stood, and the women followed him, pausing in the foyer as he peered through the peephole.

He stiffened, and with a curse, ripped open the door to reveal a slight figure shivering in the pouring rain.

Her hair was full of dirt, stuck to the sides of her face. Her clothes were dirty and torn in various areas, clinging to her body where they remained, and her feet were completely bare.

Sabrina.

Reliana’s jaw dropped, and Mira gasped.

She was alive.