s mouth dropped open in shock. "That's not true!"

"How could you, Lila?!" he shoute

es, I swear, I didn't push her. She

tepped forward. His commanding presence silenced the room

rned to see James' mother, Jennifer, looking at her with a mixture of pity and accusa

than any knife. In that moment, Lila realized that her marriage, which had already been teetering on the edge, had just been pushed into

er hands. "I didn't push her," she repeated, her vo

want to believe you, Lila. But Rachel is carr

ut she did it on purpose, Margaret. She isn't content just

sometimes people do desperate things. We can't always understand their reaso

n her. She felt trapped, suffocated by the lies and deceit. T

at Margaret, "your atten

back, she followed the server out. The distant sound of sirens approached and Lila closed her eyes, trying to blo

et had left her alone in the small sitting room, and the silence was pressing in on her from all sides. The

tead, it was Annabelle, James's twin sister. Unlike her charismatic and domineering br

full of concern as she approached. "I ca

n her cheeks. "No, Annabelle, I'm not. They t

words were a balm to Lila's frizzled nerves. "I don't believe it for a second,"

e mingling with her des

an girl, the type who thrived on making others miserable. Always causing drama and hurting others. She'

Thank you," she whispered. "I needed to hear that.

, Lila. You're a good person, and anyone who knows yo

g weight lift from her shoulders. "Thank

on't we get you some water? You must be

eed parched, and her throat was dry. Sh

d. When the maid arrived, she instructed her to bring s

d in the room. Lila closed her eyes, trying to center herself, to calm the storm of emot

ions stern. Lila's heart skipped a beat as they app

le demanded, stepping in f

and authoritative. "We have orders to

culous! She didn't do anything wrong. Y

rms, pulling her to her feet. Lila struggled, her voice rising

guards pushed her back. "Stay out of this, ma

down a series of hallways, each step increasing her terror. She was taken to a small undecorated room at the far end of the east wing of the house, one she had never seen before. Their stony expressions held no sympathy, only ruthless eff

s? Why hadn't

he wall. She turned and banged on the door, her fists bruising against the hard surface. Terror crept up her spine as she realized she was at the mercy of James' family. An

" Her screams sounded like that

and as the minutes tick