e party, suggesting caterers and decorations with a detached efficiency that she mistook for sadness. Every interaction with Mark was a carefully calibrated performance. I' d let him put his ar

s growing impatient wi

ternoon, seeing me smile at my phone. It was a message from Liam, confi

riend, Mom

You shouldn' t be talking to people like that. You s

"In fact, Mark is the one who encouraged me to keep in touch with old friends. H

he couldn't get mad at me without implicitly criticizing Mark, her future golden-boy

witness their family's success story. Tables were draped in white cloths, balloons in the univ

ive dress, clinging to Mark' s arm and accepting

st got a lucky break. And my sister, Ava, has been so incredibl

eyes. I was standing off to the side, wearing a simple, understat

ghbor and the town' s biggest gos

ul what you' ve done for your sister. But you mustn' t feel too bad. Not everyone is c

, Mrs. Henderson," I re

hat' s right. Ava is happy for her sister. We' re

ll of turpentine and oil paint, the years of practice and dedication-they were all being erased, rewritten by thes

t of my downfall. They were a constellation of vipers. The disgust was a physical thing, a bitter taste in the back

s of champagne, claiming it would give her a headache. And when she thought no one was looking, I

seen them in a cousin ye

s... this was an unexpected gift. An a

alked over to the happy couple,

ough to draw the attention of those nearby

his glass.

ded, her eyes sparkling wit

a sip of my lemonade, my eyes fixed on Chloe. "You have to b

rom Chloe' s face.

Chloe stammered, her hand unco

thing I read. You just look a little pale. Yo

a state of stunned panic. I didn' t need to stay and watch the fallout.

ey thought this was their victory celebration. They had no idea it was their public farewell to the life they knew. They were marching toward a future they though

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