𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝑾𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝑰𝒔 𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌!

nd the memories that clung to every stone like ivy. She left with nothing but a flicker of

he was

mmy

houghts as Sarah sprinted toward her,

t her just in time. "Hey, sl

round her mother's nec

st Sarah's cheek. "Hmm... let me guess.

shop with sooo many candies

ing a brow. "And what do we sa

aggerated sweetness. "Please... please, p

's ponytail. "Alright, little monster. But just one,

er. Too much sugar makes me jump

hadn't seen in six years. It still had the same striped awning. Same faded red shutters

ighten. The weight of retu

oudly. "Mummy, where are we

wall beside the shop. She nodded slowly. "Yes

?" Sarah til

side her, voice q

nked. "Wa

bench by the fountain. All pieces of a life she used to know. Piec

lip. "Are we go

"Just for a little while. Mumm

. "Will there

h her heart ached. "Not castle

ere be a

the one she had walked once before with t

red. "Maybe this ti

to the past she thought she'd buried, and t

ant and quiet, surrounded by rows of trimmed hedges and memories she hadn't created here. This place was

r softly, and took a breath of the

e front porch, th

Rose screamed, grin

i..." she murmured, stepping into her best friend's ar

ghtly, then pulled b

rd the car. "Sleepin

, hugging her again but with more gentl

away a strand of hair. "She asks qu

red. "And you... h

lightly. "Rose..

lenched. "Dominic shouldn't ever catc

his office. I stood there, Rose. Right in front of him. He didn't even blink

hissed out a breath and turned toward the car

her silence l

ping Sarah into her arms. The little girl's curls were

kissing her forehead, Vivianne stood by the win

forgot?" she asked sof

"I think he chose to. Men like Dominic... they re

n like she was testing reality-like maybe the world outs

Rose," she murmured. "And

ween them had weight, history. Rose had been there the night she broke, the nig

dy. "Then that's what he is n

or a moment. She wanted to be

omi

ved closer.

Rose," she said quietly. "I'm

iliar wicked spark in her eyes. "Good. Because

d to her, dead

s w

t got

king them wonder. Whisper. Won

"And if I don't

simply, walking toward the sleek black wardrobe at

et. She hated how m

lair. "Already had something tailored for

f her mouth to lift. Just a l

too afraid to ad

ngers played with the hem of her sleeve, th

aid suddenly. "This... ghost of a woman who

ne loo

d you'd scare people. And now..." Rose knelt down,

t want to cry. Not here. Not

hips. "You also need to sta

roaned. "S

When was the last

nne s

off, made a joke. But instead she just

rifted to

last want someone? Not for comfort.

n't even

uttered. "It's

e didn'

me a memory. One tangled in guilt, shadows, an

said quietly. "How t

e, her voice gentler. "Then maybe don't start with

ne loo

, voice unwavering.