Threads Of Fate

h, her mind clouded with confusion. The bed beneath her was softer than anything she had ever known, the blankets warm and heavy. A voice, gentle yet tinged with sorrow,

ou mean?" Evelyn sobbed, bowing her head. "At Madam Grace's motel, Sarah asked me to dress like a princess. She gave me the ring and clothes to wear. When the attackers came, she saved my life. I am just a lowly slave. I should have died instead." The grandmother's breath hitched. "That cannot be. Why are you telling me this now?" Evelyn lifted her tear-streaked face. "If I ran without telling you, you would continue to worry for me." The grandmother turned away, her shoulders trembling. "I will gladly accept any punishment," Evelyn whispered. "For acting like Sarah." Silence stretched between them before the grandmother finally exhaled. "You say you know who did this?" Evelyn nodded. "Yes. I remember their faces. There is a small road behind Madam Grace's house. If you follow it for half an hour, you will find a cave behind a shrine. That is where they hide. I can draw their faces for you." The grandmother's expression shifted. "Then we must go to the police." At the police station, Evelyn repeated everything she had told the grandmother. The head officer scrutinized her. "How do you know these details?" The grandmother quickly intervened. "She overheard it from another slave while staying there." The officer nodded. "Your granddaughter is clever." The grandmother cast a glance at Evelyn but said nothing more. As they left the station, the air between them was thick with unspoken words. Finally, the grandmother broke the silence. "You must live as Sarah until the thieves are caught." Evelyn stopped in her tracks. "Pardon me?" "If you say you are a runaway slave, who would ever believe you?" The grandmother removed her veil and glasses, pressing them into Evelyn's hands. "Do not show your face. No matter what. If you are caught acting like Sarah, our family will be ruined." Evelyn swallowed hard but nodded. She had no choice. Back in Sarah's room, Evelyn lay