alvin. He walked into the grand library to find his parents

your face?" Eleanor began,

is expression grim. "Sit

ed to his parents and bowed his hea

ate and absolute, stun

, the entire ugly plot Amberly had revealed on that tablet. He s

the sharp crack of a slap echoed through the

of rage and heartbreak. "I told you! I t

e shock. It was real. "I know," he

Amberly. The girl he'd always seen as fragile, as someone to be protected, had unc

e of relief. "They were trying to ruin us... Th

he canceled engagement not as

in months. "I swear to you both, from this moment

ze to Amberly. And I will spend the res

perhaps the boy had finally become a man. "An apology is necessary," he sai

nor asked, her voice soft

she showed me the video, she just left. Sh

weren't angry or hurt. They were cold, ana

stood before a sim

rson. Belo

s cold. She gently wiped a stray

silent stone. "This time, I won't le

A single, encrypted message from

elcome home.

name was a phantom from another li

d back t

nd

ion would be to reveal her hand, to reveal who she had b

ssage thread, wipi

coat tighter and walked away from the grave, her sil