Roxy I was reviewing a report at my desk, making notes in the margins, when someone cleared their throat beside me. Looking up, I saw Susan, my co-worker, standing there, sucking on a lollipop as she glanced at my work. “Mr. Hayes wants to see you,” she said. I blinked. “Did he say why?” She shook her head. “Just told me to send you over.” I sighed, capping my pen and setting the report aside. “Alright, thanks.” Susan nodded and walked away, and I took a moment to collect myself. This wasn’t a surprise. I’d known it was coming. Still, anticipation curled in my stomach as I pushed back my chair and stood, smoothing my hands over my skirt before heading toward Mr. Hayes’ office. The door was already open when I arrived. I knocked lightly on the frame, peeking inside. “Mr. Hayes? I heard you wanted to see me?” He looked up from his desk and gave me a curt nod, gesturing for me to step in. I did, shutting the door behind me. Without preamble, he picked up a document from his des
The fluorescent light above me flickered annoyingly. I blinked against the harsh light, my eyes adjusting as I looked across the table at the policeman sitting in front of me. He watched me with barely concealed bewilderment, like he couldn’t quite believe this was what he had to deal with on a slow morning. To my left, Daniel, the real Daniel, sat stiffly in a chair with his arms crossed, a bead of sweat trailing down his jaw. To my right, Roxy was picking invisible specks of dust off her sleeve, looking entirely too relaxed for someone who had been attacked just hours ago.Then, our eyes met, and that was it. Roxy burst into laughter, full-bodied and uncontrollable, the kind that had no trace of joy but was instead laced with overwhelming relief. It wasn’t pretty or graceful; it was raw and almost manic, the kind of laughter that bubbled up after narrowly escaping disaster. I felt my own lips twitch in response, not because I found anything funny, but because I couldn’t believe the
Abigail Daniel, to his credit, didn’t so much as crack a smile, but I could see his jaw tightening like he was fighting the urge. He kept his grip firm on the man’s collar, shaking him slightly. “Not so cocky now, are you?” The man let out a strangled noise, his face turning red; not from anger, but from the sheer agony of whatever pain the umbrella had caused.My laughter faded as I stepped closer to the man, gripping my umbrella tightly. I didn’t hesitate this time. I struck him again, not with any real strategy, just enough to remind him who was in control here. He let out a sharp hiss of pain, his face twisting, but this time, he didn’t laugh.“Who sent you?” I demanded, my voice firm, unyielding.The arrogance was gone from his eyes now, replaced with something far more satisfying; uncertainty. He gritted his teeth, his breath coming in pained, uneven bursts. Daniel and the men he had brought still held him tight, and I saw the exact moment hesitation flickered in his expressio
LilianaSusanna’s presence in my home was an irritation I couldn’t quite shake. She had come over hours ago, throwing herself dramatically onto my couch and complaining about how bored she was. Alexander, she claimed, was never home anymore; too busy at work, apparently. And staying in that big house all by herself was unbearable.I barely listened. I had no interest in Susanna’s marriage troubles, nor did I particularly care if she was bored. I much preferred when we were both engrossed in our own lives, only checking in when necessary. But I also knew better than to send her away; keeping Susanna close meant keeping an eye on her. After all, the last thing I needed was for my reckless sister to go off and enact another one of her 'brilliant' plans without thinking things through.So, I let her stay, pretending to be unbothered while she sprawled out on my couch, lazily scrolling through her phone as I looked over Harry’s midterm report card.My brow furrowed as I spotted something d
SusannaI stood by the window, watching as Alexander’s car came to a slow stop outside the house. Even from here, I could see Daniel stepping out first, moving with his usual efficiency as he made his way around the car and opened the door for Alexander. A moment later, I saw my husband, the man I had not laid eyes on in almost a week, as Daniel carefully helped him into his wheelchair.The sight was almost surreal. For the past several days, Alexander had been avoiding home, and while he claimed it was work keeping him away, I was no fool. Even from up here, I could see the change in him in the way his shoulders slumped slightly and the exhaustion weighing him down. But more than anything, there was an air of grief about him. It was almost amusing.I had not expected the baby’s death to affect him this deeply. Why else would he suddenly need so much alone time? I didn’t think he would have formed this much of a connection. And yet, here he was, wallowing. Still, it was good that he w
Abigail Spending the rest of the day with Roxy had left me refreshed. It made me glad to know the first move we had made had been so successful and I wanted to celebrate that with her. But more than that, I had wanted to make sure she was fine. After everything she had been through from being targeted by Susanna to being used as bait to lure her attacker out, she had tried to act as if it didn’t shake her, but I knew better. The exhaustion in her eyes and the stiff tway she held herself even when we were just outside together told me otherwise. Still, by the time I left, I felt satisfied with our progress. But the moment I stepped out of my car in front of my mother’s home, a strange feeling crawled over my skin. Something was wrong. The air felt… off. It was subtle, but I had learned to trust my instincts more. “Liam?” I called out, shutting the car door. Silence answered me. A frown settled on my lips. Liam had been relentless lately in trying to make up for everything he had
Abigail I ignored her. I couldn’t take my eyes off Liam. His entire body seemed on edge as he swayed slightly where he stood, gripping the edge of the doorframe like it was the only thing keeping him upright. Panic settled deep in my bones. How had he gotten this bad? I wanted to grab him and shake him back to himself. I could feel Marceline's eyes on me, watching everything. I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself. For Liam’s sake, I had to stay calm. I told myself to stay strong. Liam needed me to be strong. But the moment Liam laid eyes on Marceline and the man beside her, what he did next made all my resolve fly out the window. He staggered forward, his body trembling violently as if his bones were rattling inside him. His bloodshot eyes widened with desperation, and before I could stop him or before I could brace myself, he dropped to his knees with an awful, broken sound. “Please,” he gasped, looking up at Marceline and her man like they were his gods, like they were th
MarcelineI stepped out of the car, the cool night air brushing against my skin as I adjusted the fur lined collar of my gown. Abigail stood near the stretcher where Liam's pitiful body was being placed, her shoulders stiff and her face drawn tight with desperation. A group of officers had closed in around her, their expressions unreadable.I couldn’t hear what was being said just yet, but whatever it was, I saw the precise moment Abigail’s world tilted. Her hand clutched at her chest, her lips parting as she uttered a stunned, "What?"I walked closer, my heels clicking against the pavement. A slow smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. This was looking interesting.Abigail’s face twisted with disbelief before morphing into an emotion more volatile; rage. “There is no way my brother could be involved in any sort of drug trafficking! You must be mistaken!” she barked, her voice sharp.The officers did not acknowledge her outburst. Their cold silence only enraged her further. Her fists
AbigailThe first thing I felt as I came to was cold. Not just the kind that prickled the skin or made you shiver, but the kind that sank deep into the marrow, slow and consuming. It felt like the chill in the air had seeped into my bones and decided to settle there, like a second skeleton made of frost. I wanted to curl in on myself, but even that movement felt too much. My body was strangely weak.Against the freezing cold, a searing heat pressed against my lips, like fire on ice...someone’s lips? I stirred weakly, and in the hazy waking that followed, I became aware of warm droplets falling onto my cheek. Tears, but they weren’t mine.I opened my eyes.Alexander’s face swam into view above me. His brows were drawn together in anguish, but his eyes lit up with such sudden relief when he saw I was awake, it made my heart twist. There were tears in his eyes, actual tears, and I don’t think he even noticed them until I reached up with trembling fingers and brushed one away.“You’re cry
Conrad This was wrong. All wrong. I took a slow sip of my whiskey, trying to let the burn of it distract me, but it didn’t work. The woman in front of me, the one I had spent a ridiculous amount of money perfecting, stood stiffly, her hands clasped together, head tilted downward like a scolded child. She was supposed to look like my wife. She did, to an extent. The hair, the eyes, even the perfume; those details were correct. But everything else? Off. Her posture was wrong. Abigail didn't carry herself like an 1900's schoolgirl expecting a caning. Abigail never failed to meet my eyes even when I was spitting fire. Her quiet confidence couldn't be taught. This woman? She was trying too hard, and it irritated me. I sighed, rolling the glass between my fingers before setting it down with a dull clink. This would have to do for now. I couldn’t have Abigail yet, but I needed something, someone, to fill the void, and it couldn't be Susanna. At least, not for now. Mother had been s
Alexander The moment I pulled open the door hidden under the base of the statue of the Virgin Mary, the scent of decay hit me like a punch to the gut.No, that wasn’t quite right. I had smelled it the moment I stepped into the manor of the estate. That deep, cloying stench of something long past its time, something that should have been laid to rest but had been left to fester instead. But I had ignored it. Or rather, I had hoped, prayed even, that it was nothing more than the rot of an abandoned estate.I never thought we would find a body. But there she was.I barely had time to register the sight of the corpse before I heard Abigail’s sharp gasp behind me. I moved without thinking, shoving the door closed and stepping in front of it, using my body as a shield as if I could somehow erase what she had just seen. But it was too late.She had seen, and she knew. I didn’t need to hear her say it to understand. I had already reached the same conclusion—the same horrible, gut-wrenching
Abigail The man who had leaned against the statue stumbled back, waving away dust with one hand as he coughed. A thick cloud filled the air, and I instinctively raised my arm to cover my nose and mouth. The statue of the Virgin Mary had crumbled like a sandcastle, revealing something hidden under it. As the dust settled, Alexander stepped closer, his expression sharpening with concern and curiosity. Where the statue once stood, there was now a gaping hole, the jagged edges of stone framing what looked like a concealed door. The wood was so moldy and blackened with age that it barely looked like wood at all. There was no handle, just a small opening where fingers could slip in and pull. Alexander reached for it. Something in me screamed for him to stop. I don’t know why. Maybe I already knew, deep down, what was waiting behind that door. But he pulled it open anyway, grunting as a laboring creak filled the air. The first thing I noticed was the stench. It was putrid, suffocatin
Susanna I stirred awake to the sound of slow, rhythmic breathing beside me, the weight of an arm slung over my waist. My head felt thick with exhaustion, my limbs sore in ways I didn’t care to think about. For a long moment, I lay still, staring at the ceiling of the garish motel room, the golden swirls on red wallpaper filling me with distaste. Where am I? The question drifted through my half-conscious mind before memory came rushing back, hitting me like a slap to the face. Oh. Right. Disgust twisted my expression. I shoved the arm off me, wincing at the soreness in my lower back as I sat up. The movement jostled the man beside me, and he made a groggy sound before blinking awake. He turned his head towards me, his lips stretching into a lazy, leering grin. "Mm," he hummed, eyes roaming over my body, shameless despite the crust of sleep still clinging to his lashes. "You haven’t lost your touch, sweetheart. If anything, you’re even better than before." I scowled, n
Abigail It had been hours since Alexander and I arrived at Ravenbrook, since I had first stepped into this decrepit house with my heart pounding and my hopes soaring against my better judgment. I had been so sure. After hearing Liam say the name, and seeing the terror on his face when he whispered it, I had believed with every part of me that my mother would be here. That I would find her at last. That all of this suffering, all of the waiting, all of the agonizing weeks spent wondering if she was alive or dead, had been leading to this moment. And yet, all I had to show for my hope was nothing. No signs of life. No whispers of her presence. No misplaced object, no forgotten article of clothing, no single trace that a woman who had once been the most important person in my world had ever been here at all. I had searched everywhere. The bedrooms, the bathrooms, the library, the study. I had torn through dusty closets, rummaged through abandoned drawers, even pressed my hand agai
Abigail The elevator ride down was silent. I barely registered the soft chime announcing each floor as we descended, nor the polished steel doors reflecting my pale face back at me. My mind was spinning, turning over the name Ravenbrook like a stone in my palm, searching for familiarity in its edges and weight. Where had I heard it before? It clung to me, refusing to let go, like a whisper just out of reach. Beside me, Alexander stood still, his hands in his pockets, but I could feel his gaze lingering on me. He was watching me closely. I wasn’t sure if it was concern or curiosity at my quietness, but I had no space in my mind to dwell on it. I could only focus on Ravenbrook. There was something stirring in my memory, faint but persistent. By the time we stepped into the hospital’s lobby and moved toward the parking lot, my hands had curled into fists. The answer was there. I could feel it. I slid into the passenger seat of Alexander’s car, fastening my seatbelt automatica
Abigail Liam moved closer, his shoulders shaking, his face wet with tears. His eyes were desperate as he reached out, trying to wrap his arms around me in an embrace. I turned my body away, just enough to avoid him. His arms hung in the air for a second before he let them drop. He sniffled loudly, his breath coming in short, unsteady bursts. I swallowed hard, forcing down the emotions rushing through me. “Liam,” I said quietly, my voice steadier than I expected. “That man you saw speaking with Marceline and Conrad, who was he?” Liam wiped his face roughly, blinking at me in confusion. “I told you already,” he mumbled. “I don’t know.” I didn’t believe him. Maybe he didn’t have a name, but Liam wasn’t stupid. He had spent time around Aaron, the man who had led him into this mess. There was no way he hadn’t overheard something, some kind of detail that could clue me in. I narrowed my eyes. “Liam, think.” He shook his head, his movements jerky. “I...I don’t know anything
Abigail I couldn't take it anymore. Everything Liam had said so far, every word, had been an excuse. I hadn’t wanted to say it, had tried to keep my emotions in check, but the words slipped past my lips before I could stop them. “All of this… all of it, Liam, is just you making excuses.” Liam’s eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn’t expected me to say that. But I couldn’t stop now. “You’ve told me about the gambling, the debts, the deals you made, but you still haven’t explained why you helped Susanna hurt me. Your own sister.” My voice shook with anger and hurt. “And what about Mom, Liam? You haven’t even mentioned her. Haven’t even said her name. Do you even care that we still don't know where she is?” I swallowed hard, my chest rising and falling quickly. “And you haven’t even apologized,” I whispered, shaking my head. “Not once.” Liam stared at me after my outburst, something dark and ugly flashing in his eyes. His hands clenched into fists. Then, in an instant, he