Her Borrowed Life

ated thirty, but tonight there were only three of us: me, Leo, and Julian. The table was so long we practically had to shout to be

ervously against the china. I sat opposite him, observing. The silence was broken

behind Leo. Her eyes were fixed on him, missing nothing. The original Anya's memories supplied he

ll, accidentally knocked over his glass of water. The

is face drai

tablet. "Clean that up," he said,

oy," she hissed, her voice low but sharp. "You kn

wide with a mix of fear and r

hing for his arm. "You will stand in the corner for

uelty that the original Anya had wi

he small sound was lo

oing anywhe

ask of disbelief. Julian finally looked up fr

?" Missus

king directly at her. "It was an accident. A serva

y's discipline," she said, her voice tight with indign

ing handled." I nodded toward a maid who was discreetly mopping up the s

gerous. Missus Gable gasped. Leo stared

narrowed. He was assessing me, this new wife who was suddenly be

"Missus Gable has been in this household

his gaze. "She's teaching him to be afraid of ma

face was a mixture of fear, confusion

voice softening.

om me to his uncle, then

I said gently

was a small act of defiance, but in this house, it felt like a revolution. I had drawn my line in the sand. I was n