Chapter 2
Charlotte, that’s fantastic news!” Professor Allen’s voice crackled with excitement through the phone. “The Peace Corps will be lucky to have you.“[]
His tone shifted to something more cautious “post so you know what you’re getting into–the village is pretty remote. We’re talking basic accommodations… Emited electricity, the works.”
A pause. “Have you mentioned this to Ellas? He’s always been… protective of your choters. ||
Charlotte leaned against the cold hospital wall. I’m an adult now, Professor. My decisions are my own.
After hanging up, she closed her eyes for a moment, suddenly drained. As she stepped back to steady herself, she humped into something solid.
Who was that? Elias’s voice came from directly behind her.
Charlotte spun around, heat racing. He stood there in his expensive suit, arms crossed, eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Just Professor Allen,” she said, keeping her voice casual “Something about a student committee.“]
Elias studied her face a moment too long before seemingly letting it go. Surgery’s set for Thursday,” he said flatly. “Scarlett’s staying
ng with us until then.
He paused, his jaw tightening. “And Charlotte? Stop with the notes in my office. They freak Starlett out-
Charlotte looked away, feeling hest rise to her cheeks. “Fine. [
Ever since that night years ago when he’d caught her kissing him, she’d written him betters–pouring her heart out week after week, only to have them tossed in the trash. Now she realized how those earnest confessions must have appeared to him–desperate, inappropriate, pathetic
Elias nodded curdy and walked back toward Scarlett’s room without another word||
An hour later, Charlotte watched from the hospital entrancea Elias pulled up in his Aud. He helped Scarlett into the backseat with gente care she’d never received herself
Charlotte hurried down the steps, reaching for the door handle just as the car pulled away, leaving her in a cloud of exhmist
Her phone buzzed: “Scarlett gets migraines from perfumes. Take an Uber.
1 at the screen, her face carefully blank. She raised her hand to flag down a passing taxi.]
Charintle stared at the screen, ber
As they drove through campus, the driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “That’s quite a mark on your face. Need to stop for some ice?
Charlotte shook her head, warling the fanlar ball–dings of the University of Michigan slide past How telling that a stranger showed more concern than her wwwn family
When the taxi pulled up to the Delaney manston, Charlotte paid and walked slowly up the driveway. Inside, she found scarlett aluse in the living room, burning something over in her manicured hants-||
Charlotte froze. It was her St. Michael’s pendant–the silver oval with the cracked blue glass center that her c father had given her before his final deployment. IL was supposed to be locked in her bedroom sade ||
“Why do you have that?” The words cine te
intended ||
Statient looked up, startled. Before she could respond. Hlas’s voice caine from the staircase ||
Thet bej in your room, he said, desormiling with copal autfiordy Scarlett’s going to be numisting this house soun. She breib to know where everything is.” His eytsamarrowed. “If thats a profdem fut you remember whose name in on the deed ||
Curotte felt sommeiling cold arte in her stomach as las positioned himself beside Scarlett, who now wore a small, satisfied smile.
“Its just some old trinket, scarlet said with a dive flick of her wrist. If it matters that much to you-
She extruded her band, but as Charlotte reached for it Scarlett “dentally let it slip. The pendant hit the marble il
(No” The word tote from Charlottes throat
– fluor with a sickening track, splitting in two.
dropped to her knees, frantically gathering the p
e pieces, trying to
(to fit them back together. The tiny inscription Tow–find your way home“-now split
between the fragmenti [],
carlett stepped back, genuinely surprised by Charlotte s traction
For a moment, inmething flickered across Eliasi facerecognition, perhaps even concern. In all their years together, he’d never seen Curlotte break down like max
But seeing Scarlett’s discomfort, be quickly hardened. “Jerus, Charlotte,
e, it’s just a chrapi pendant. Get a grip –||
He sighed, checking his watch. “I bay you another our. What was it, twenty barks at the mall?||
Chapter 3
