me, sharp a

my eyes fl

is bed. The s

on our Texas estate, the

n' t be. I sh

ach, round and tight. T

st child was due. The day everyt

ead washe

. Every horr

s. My mother, Eleanor,

ghteenth birthday party. He

nk, crashing

, twisted with

. Ethan, just returned, collapsing

ging me, dying, to

You and your f

ound my thro

back.

wall showed it

croaked, m

Rosa, rushed in, her f

re you alright

. Ethan' s specialist. Get him here now. And Rosa

ed but nodded. "Rig

urrie

nt woman entered. Older, with

Gret

ogical mother, though I hadn' t known

ice falsely sweet. "Your mother, Eleanor, has made

od ran

She had to b

er pre-emp

I demanded, trying to kee

"Mrs. Thompson felt it best you were in a quieter win

Just lik

y party on time, you know," Gretchen added, a small, cr

The same chill

zed me, stronger this t

ng her stage, determined

ne, her murderous rage at Brittany

s death. A death caused by B

ic was a black

sband, my child, our

led, adopted daughte

her cruelty w

wouldn't be