1. Introduction: The Uninvited Guest The cliffs of Big Sur were jagged teeth biting into the grey underbelly of the sky. It was a violent
“WE DON’T RUN A NURSING HOME,” my father spat, his voice thick with the cheap beer he’d been nursing since noon. He blocked the doorway
I drove to Megan’s house in Natalie’s car, gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned the color of old bone. My fingers cramped,
Chapter 1: The Signature of Severance The ink was still wet on the decree absolute when I realized I wasn’t sad. I wasn’t relieved. I
Chapter 1: The Allowance Wife Friday night in the Miller household was always a trial, but tonight, the air was thick enough to choke on.
“We don’t have that kind of money lying around. Emily, you need to be realistic about this.” The words didn’t sound like a refusal. They
Forks clinked against fine china, a delicate, rhythmic percussion that signaled the end of the main course and the beginning of the performance. Conversations dwindled.
Part 1: The Facade of Fatigue I was struggling to zip up my dress—a floor-length navy silk gown that used to slip on like water,
The RSVP of Revenge: A Wedding in Ruins Chapter 1: The Curated Exile I found out about my sister Lily’s wedding the same way I
The Silent Architect The notification on my phone didn’t sound like a bomb going off. It was just a soft, polite ping, the kind that