Chapter 1
The front door of the old brick house swung open and a middle-aged woman with sun-darkened skin stomped out, hands planted on her hips. She tossed a faded backpack to the ground and started complaining under her breath.
“It’s already midday and there’s still no sign of them. Maybe they never wanted you in the first place.”
“All that talk about your family being rich. If they really had money, why haven’t they sent a single cent all these years?”
“If that stubborn old woman hadn’t threatened to die unless you stayed, I would’ve kicked you out a long time ago
“Ow!”
A stone flew from somewhere and hit Zoe right on the mouth, cutting her off mid- rant.
In the shadowy corner of the yard, a girl slowly lifted her head.
She wore a simple, pale dress, her figure slim and tall. Her lashes were long and dark, framing clear eyes that glimmered with a lazy kind of brightness. Her features were delicate, her face small and beautiful, cheeks with a natural flush. There was something about her that didn’t fit the countryside at all.
This was Charlotte. She was eighteen now.
When she was thirteen, she’d almost hurt someone badly. That was when the doctors diagnosed her with severe schizophrenia. Her family shipped her off to a sanatorium out here, deep in the countryside. Yesterday, out of the blue, her so- called family showed up, saying they were taking her home.
“I brought money with me when I first came here. You two took it. And this house- Grandma built it. She left it to me in her will Charlotte leaned against the wall, her voice flat, her face unreadable.
At her words, a nervous look flashed in Zoe’s eyes. She raised her voice. “What money? Who ever saw any money?”
“Ungrateful brat. You’ve lived here, eaten our food, and now you want to talk about inheritance?”
“Enough.”
Zoe kept going, but the man who’d been crouched near the door finally stood up. He walked over to Charlotte, picked up her backpack, and held it out to her. “You’ve had a hard time with us.”
“A hard time? How has she suffered?” Zoe shrieked, digging her fingers into her husband’s arm. “When her family gets here, you make sure they pay for all these years. We didn’t feed her for free.”
Right then, the sound of a car engine shutting off came from the front gate.
Zoe perked up and rushed outside. The moment she saw the old, dirty black sedan parked in the yard, her face fell.
That couldn’t belong to a rich family.
She’d waited all morning for this? Just her luck.
“I’m going to ask for money
She rolled up her sleeves, ready to march out, but her husband grabbed her. “What money? You know
exactly how much she brought here. And this house Charlotte pad to fix it up.”
“You really have no shame. Taking her house, bullying her. Aren’t you worried Mom
will climb out of her grave to come after you?”
People in the village believed in ghosts and omens.
At that, Zoe went quiet.
Charlotte managed a tiny, almost automatic smile. She hefted her backpack and walked out, calm as ever She didn’t own much, and after Zoe’s constant trouble, all she had left was this single bag.
Just as she stepped outside, a small voice called out behind her.
“Charlotte
She paused, her eyes softening. A little boy, maybe five or six, came running over, arms full of snacks.
“These are for you, for the road. Charlotte, you have to come back and see me, okay?”
Before she could answer, Zoe yanked the boy away and poked him hard on the forehead. “Ungrateful kid. If she comes back, are you going to feed her?”
“I will! I’ll take care of Charlotte! I don’t want Charlotte to go! Waaaah Charlotte looked at the boy, his face streaked with tears and snot. She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a pretty agate pendant, gently slipping it around his neck.
Then she turned and walked away without looking back.
Out front, the driver, Aaron, had already gotten out. His clothes were dusty and be wiped sweat from his brow with a tissue, glancing around at the shabby yard. He looked like. he’d seen more than enough of this place.