His Dead Wife's Shadow

ien's

rs slid open wit

I did every morning-sharp suit, no smile, bla

ler said, falling i

nod. "What

he girl you asked me to

ped wa

am

d between foster homes her whole life. Landed with the Halston family whe

d at th

years ago. She looked younger. Smaller

o to school an

olled again. The Halston family claimed they were homesch

ched m

irons. No phone. No personal bank account. They don't even fee

n lit up i

n't have

e one who goes to school. Alina handles everything behind the scen

hing twist i

he par

st of complaints about 'harsh behavior' from neighbors. Yelling. Slapping. Publ

ours

s still there

. "She's got no savings. No I

lowly. My h

said they saw her crying on the floor yesterday morning. Said the girl

the table

Evelyn. But sh

, broken, used like a tool and th

about that mad

he right no

n residence, as of t

e. Glass towers. A billion people li

t

t g

ca

dn't. B

"Set up a meeting. Tell th

. "An offer...

d back

r h

na's

me home

mmed open and voic

o visit us!" Mrs. Halsto

es since morning. My hands were red and wet. My back hurt. I didn't know who Damien

her long hair. "I knew he noticed me

lston said, kissing her ch

es landed on me l

eds to be spotless before he gets here. Do the floors again. Clean the

d. "Yes

er. Something fancy.

on't mess it up, rat girl. He's

parents to the car to go shopping for a new dre

one in t

hing was wrong-if anything was even slightly out of place-they'd find a r

loor until I sa

d every

d the walls, dusted the c

My legs shook. B

ge-things I wasn't allowed to touch. I made baked salmon, garlic rice, roaste

the house smelled perfect.

ing in a new dress.

d, "Alina, go to your room. Now.

odd

den box under the roof. A thin mattress. No wi

rested my hea

t cry t

too

ut the food I made. Or the pain in my arms.

membered the man

s. The one who looked at

know wh

new he w

st

hand

could see

like him could ever

knew b

idn't even look a