It was raining hard in Claymount when a sleek black car pulled up in front of Graywood Mansion. The driver held out an umbrella as he opened the back door, and a little girl of about 9 years old stepped out with her backpack.
It was the young Allison, her face sullen.
Hesitantly, she walked to the mansion's doors. Although the driver was holding an umbrella for her, she still got a bit wet. She felt cold under her thin school blazer, but none of that mattered when she saw who was waiting for her inside the mansion.
Her father, Lawrence Graywood, had just come down the staircase with her older brother, Bryce. The boy, aged 14, looked at his sister indifferently.
"Go to my office and wait for me there, Allison. We need to talk," came Lawrence's firm voice.
