“Fine, Kill me now,” Ste said icily, minciating each word.

“You!” Andrew raned his hand to strike, but Fiona quickly held him back.

“Ste, go ahead to your room now,” Fiona said to her.

Instead of going back to her room as na suggested, Ste turned and walked straight out of the house.

No one called after her. It was as if Ste had made the wrong decision, and her family couldn’t even be bothered to keep her at home

This was Ste’s first time venturing out the this, and everything around her felt utterly unfamiliar.

Ste went back to her old home. Whenever she went to her secret hideout, she would always find Lionel then. No matter how down or heartbroken she felt, just being in that special ce with him would immediately lift her spirits.

Everything from the past felt like a dream. Evers what was right in front of her seemed surreal. She never felt like she belonged anywhere, as if she were a forgotten bsoul /bleft behind by the universe.

Ste found a secluded spot where no one would notice her, just like she used to do bas /ba child. But this time, Lionel wasn’ting to find her anymore

Ste had no idea how long she’d been sitting there. At first, she paid no attention to the voices in the distance, but the moment a familiar volca registered, her wars pricked up.

“Anna, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Emily said hesitantly. “If Ste finds out how close we are now, she’d be devastated.”

Anna bsaid/b, “We’re btwins/b, after all. Since you’re my sister’s friend, that makes you my friend, too. And the same goes for my friends. They’re her friends as bwell/b. It’s only natural, right?

“No worries. Look, Eleanor’s sick, and you just wanted toe see her. That’spletely normal. The whole Hayes family will wee you.”

Hearing that, Emily gave a hesitant nod

Ste watched in disbelief as Emily and Anna walked into the house arm in arm.

She could hardly believe her eyes. For as long as she could remember, Ste had only two close friends, Emily and Kevin.

Emily knew exactly how unfairly Ste was treated in the bHayes /bfamily.

ry time, Ste

Whenever Ste brushed off unfair treatment, Emily would get angrier than anyoneb, /bbready /bbto /brush into her home and defend her. But every would pull her back, telling her to let it go.

During those three years away, Ste often wondered, ‘If Emily and Kevin ever found out, would they go crazy trying to find me?

Ste had even imagined that Emily might not bheed /bher words band /bbwould /bmake trouble for Anna, believing Kevin would surely hold her back.

Emily’s family was quite well off when she was young, but after her father went bankrupt, they fell on hard times and never recovered

But Ste had always believed her friendship with Emily would never change. She never in a million years imagined Emily would be bsuch /bclose

friends with Anna.

Reeling in disbelief, Ste got to her fest and made her bway /bto the living room.

The entire Hayes family gathered around and warmly weed Emily with open arms.

Fiona said warmly. “Emily, thank you foring all this way at such ate hour”

“It’s only right for me toe. Eleanor has always been so kind to me. When Anna told me how senous har condition was thise here right away.” Emily exined.

Fiona said, “You and Anna get along in well. She used to be quite sickly and had few friends, but ever since you became closer much more. You’re truly a blessing to our family

Emily looked at Anna, and they both smiled. “Oh, please don’t say that, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes

y mom told me to

“Even with how things are for my family now, you’ve never looked down on me, and you’re still willing to let Anna be so close to truly don’t know how to thank you”

Fiona waved a dismissive hand. “Hey, when ites to friends, home of that matters. As long as you’re a good person and can make Anna happy, of course, we love having you around”

During their conversation, Ste abruptly appeared in the living room, instantly ruining the cheerful moment. She fixed berg intently on Emilly

Emily couldn’t meet Ste’s eyes, guilt washing over her.

Anna reached over and bgave /bEmily’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

Emily felt she had to do something, so she finally looked up and forced herself to say, “Ste, you’re back.”

Stall remained silent. In the days since she returned home, her skin had visibly improved, yet her appearance was still terrifying.

Emily barely dared a nce at Ste before quickly looking away. “Um, Anna told me you were back. Ive been meaning to visit, but I wasn’t sure how to approach you. And then, with Eleanor..

At this point, Emily stole a nce at Ste, but she flinched back when she met Ste’s bpiercing /bre. She was too terrified to utter another word

Noticing the awkward silence, Fiona quickly stopped in to mediate “Ste, why aren’t you talking to Emily? You two were such close childhood friends for over a decade. She was just asking about you and said how much she wanted to see youb.” /b

“She wanted to see me?” Ste’s bicy /bvoice cut through the air, sending a jolt through Emily’s heart.

Fiona quickly stepped in, trying to smooth things over. “Ste, I know you and Emily used to be such good friends, but Anna bis /byour sister, too.

“While you were away, the two of them grew quite close and often mentioned you. N

Now that y

t you’re back, the three of you can hang out together again.”

Ste remained silent, her gaze locked on Emily

Emily couldn’t bring bherself /bto meet Ste’s bgaze/b.

Fiona also felt the overwhelming pressure from Ste

Just as Fiona was about to say something, Max, impatiently, cut in, “Mom, who Emily befriends is her own business. She hasn’t done anything wrong to Ste. Who does she think she’s intimidating with those looks?”

Emilly stole a stry nce at Max, but she instantly averted her gare, a

However, Ste bsaw /bit all clearly.

, afraid Ste might notic

Seeing Ste still standing there like a statue, not uttering a word, Max sprang to his feet and anapped, “Ste, get the hell back to your m! Emily’s our guest. Don’t go scaring her like that!”

Fiona snapped at Max, b“/bDon’t talk to Ste like that!”

“Mom, look at that damn look on her face. It’s like we allow her something We’ve exined it to her a million times already, isn’t that enough?” May

10:08 Wedb, /b30 Jul. G 6

protested

Fiona pulled Ste by the arm and said softly, “Come on. Go back to your room first.”

No one even noticed Ste hadn’t eaten dinner that night. Or rather, they simply

y didn’t care unless Eleanor mentioned it.

Sinceing back home, Ste had been forcing herself to beat /bmore, just as her family insisted. Yet now, she was still clearly starving

This gnawing hunger was just like when she’d first been sent to Middle South Yaria. A constant craving for food left her feeling physically ill if she didn’t eat. Wanting nothing to do with them for now, Ste headed straight to the kitchen.

Max trailed after her. “What the hell are you up to now?” he snapped, instinctively moving all the knives and other sharp objects out of her reach

Ste ignored him and opened the fridge. It was packed with food, but none of it was from dinner.

She wasn’t much of a cook. Instant noodles were about all she could handle. But now that the Hayes family was living so well, she would never find something as humble as instant noodles.

Max absolutely loathed Ste’s silence. It was a stark contrast to her usual chattering self. It felt as if she were deliberately punishing them

Seeing Ste rummaging through the kitchen aimlessly, Max barked at her againb, /b“What the hell are you looking for?”