rtled by my words. Then, as if shaking himself out

on't want you to die." His voice was laced with a p

stood on the other sid

. "But we can get through this. Remember what I promised you? A future. For us. It's still

The promise of a future, always just out of reach, a carrot dangled to

er to hide. "The kind of future where I'm locked away and you're c

e. "I'll talk to Ethan," he finally said, hi

of the door, a single, mirthless laugh escaping my lips. They would "figure someth

small, attached bathroom and looked at the angry red marks, the small crescent-shaped cuts from her nails. I cle

comforting her, no doubt, promising to protect her from the "unstable" monster down the hall. The sound

ing to shut out the world. But sleep wouldn't com

id he' s going to hire a therapist for you. Maybe even a full-tim

ge followed a

ened. He said he should have protected me better. Don

final, chil

y're all mine now. And soon, this house will be all mine too. Th

h Miller, the disgraced adopted daughter, I had no place. I was a ghost in

Olivia

began to form in my mind, a desperate, audacious idea. My words to No

if

r own life. It was a narrative they had already written for me. They would believe it. They would be sad, of course,

a Hayes would be on a plane to Europe, to a new life, a

cheap phone's screen. I searched for "theatrical props," "special effects," and "hyper-realistic mannequins." It was a long shot, but my new brother had resources. He had promised me everything. I

surveillance cameras. The kind used for home security, small enough to be

did, I was going to make sure the