Chapter 30: Unwelcome Visitors
The morning light was just beginning to filter through the tall, grand windows when I heard voices in the entryway. Sharp, familiar voices that sliced through the quiet air and sent a chill up my spine. I knew those voices. I'd grown up under their sneering reprimands, their thinly veiled scorn. My stepmother and half-sister.
I descended the grand staircase slowly, each step heavy with a mix of dread and annoyance. They looked up at me as I reached the bottom step, their faces barely concealed with fake smiles.
"Emilia," my stepmother cooed, her voice dripping with a sweetness that felt as real as her porcelain smile. "You're looking… comfortable here."
Her words were as barbed as ever. "I am," I replied, my voice steadier than I expected. "To what do I owe this surprise visit?"
