Chapter 49

Dorothea sat in the corner, arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Her throat was raw from shouting, but no one came to open the door.

The attic was windowless. The only thing she could smell was the heavy, musty stench of rotting wood. Faint strips of moonlight slipped through the cracks between the boards, just enough for her to realize that night had fallen.

More than ten years ago, Dorothea had been locked up in this exact attic. She was seven then, just visiting her mom for a while. It was the year after her dad died, and she clung to her mother, desperate for any scrap of love from Elise.

But Elise had just married into the family. Back then, she was preoccupied with fitting in and had no time to care about Dorothea. To everyone else, Dorothea was just Carola’s playmate, nothing more.

She still remembered how five-year-old Carola had tricked her into coming up here, saying she needed help finding a toy. Dorothea had never thought Carola would lock her in for a whole day and night.

She cried herself hoarse that time, too. It was Albert who finally opened the door and carried her out.

Dorothea never forgot how Albert looked that day. She never imagined that the boy she’d crushed on for years would one day become her boyfriend. Looking back, it all felt like a dream-one that never really belonged to her.

After that, Dorothea developed a serious fear of small, dark spaces. Any time she was trapped somewhere tight and airless, panic clawed at her chest, making it almost impossible to breathe.

She pressed her nails into her palms, fighting to keep herself together.

Dorothea, you’re not seven anymore. You can handle this. It’s just a dark room. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

She whispered the words to herself, trying to summon courage from somewhere deep inside.

Meanwhile, Carola was just getting home from her date. Albert walked her all the way to the front door.

“Albert, dinner was amazing. Thank you,” she said, smiling up at him.

He reached out, ruffling her hair. “Get inside, okay p>

Carola didn’t want to say goodbye yet, but her heart felt light and happy. When she stepped inside, though, she noticed right away that both her parents seemed upset. “Mom, what’s with the faces p>

Elise forced a small smile. “Nothing, honey. Did you have fun on your date p>

Normally, Elise would ask her for every little detail, but tonight, she barely seemed interested.

Carola was still floating on cloud nine. “We ate somewhere great, and Albert and I caught a movie afterward p>

She noticed her mom’s odd mood, which annoyed her a little, but she kept it to herself and headed upstairs.

het

TOWS

As soon as she switched on her bedroom light, Alonzo popped up grinning and waggling his ever “Guess who showed up earlier p>

“Who?” Carola asked, taking off her watch.

“Dorothea p>

Alonzo’s disdain was obvious. In his mind, Carola was the only sister who mattered. They were both Browns, after all.

Carola narrowed her eyes. “What did she want p>

“Who knows. Dad even yelled at me because of her. I got pissed and

went upstairs. They started fighting downstairs then she went up to the attic set followed

attic… so followed her content

Carola’s eyes sparkled. “Did you lock her in there p>

Alonzo grinned. “Of course. You’re the one who taught me that trick remember? We used to mess with the servants all the time. Dorothea’s just another servant to us.

Carola smiled, feeling a wave of satisfaction. She hadn’t forgotten the sting of Dorothea’s slap the last time they fought.

“Good. Don’t mention it to anyone p>

Alonzo hesitated. “Aren’t we letting her out tomorrow p>

“Does she have any idea you did it?” Carola shot back.

“Probably not,” he said.

Carola’s smile grew. “Then why worry? Just remember, you had nothing to do with

it p>

Whether Dorothea got out or not, that was her own problem.

Alonzo was only twenty, and doubt flickered across his face. “What if Mom finds

out? Are we going to get in trouble p>

“If you keep quiet, no one will ever know. I’m taking off my makeup now. As far as

I’m concerned, I never heard a thing p>

When it came to being ruthless, nobody could beat Carola.