Mara stood alone, rooted to the spot, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. It wasnât until Olivia swung the front door open that she was jolted back to reality.
âWhat are you doing just standing there? You scared the crap out of me.â
Oliviaâs gaze was deep and probing, but she remained silent.
Intent on retreating to her room, Mara found her path blocked by Olivia. Olivia cut to the phrase, âDid you do that thing Balfour was asking about?â
Mara couldnât care less about what Olivia thought, brushing off her hand with a flick of her wrist.
âStalker much? Since when is eavesdropping your new hobby?â
âYouâre so self-righteous, even after what you did to your sister!â
âBalfour just left, and Iâm dying to know what he would do if he found out you had a hand in your sisterâs death.â
A smirk tinged with intrigue crept across Oliviaâs face. She wasnât particularly sympathetic to Maraâs sister. Years of being overshadowed had taken her toll. Now that she finally had leverage, she relished the taste of power.
Maraâs response was swift and fierce a slap that echoed through the hallway. âIâve warned you not to bring that up again. Do you think I wouldnât lay a hand on you?â
âAh-ah-â
Mara dragged Olivia by the hair to the kitchen, brandishing a knife at her throat.
âYouâve been obsessed with the idea that I killed my sister. Want to feel what this knife tastes like, Olivia? You should know, I made that incident without a trace last year, and can make you vanish just as cleanly. No one would notice another orphan girl gone, especially one whoâs been abroad so long.â
Her laugh was menacing, sending shivers down Oliviaâs spine.
âIâm sorry, Mara! I shouldnât have joked about that. I never meant to expose you. I just canât keep my mouth shut. If Iâm dead, youâll have another mess to clean up. Balfourâs already suspicious, you wouldnât do it, right?â
Despite her pleas, Mara didnât trust Olivia and decided to lock her in a room. She dragged her down the hallway with Olivia begging every step of the way.
âMara, I wonât tell a soul. Iâve kept my mouth shut all this time, havenât I? Please donât do this!â
But Mara was deaf to her pleas, only feeling a sense of relief when the door was securely locked.
08:13 âIf youâre not going to talk, then just stay put. We can both rest easy that way.â
She wasnât sure if Balfour was suspecting her, but with two people in his family bedridden, it was crucial to avoid any rash moves.
Oliviaâs escalating commotion from within the room could be heard even in the hallway. Annoyed, Marȧ kicked the door. âKeep screaming if you want to die. No oneâs coming to save you here.â
She sensed an opportunity to get closer to Balfour. With Ivy gone, it was only natural for her to become his first priority.
Mara was confident.
After gathering a few things, she made her way to the hospital to visit. Balfour needed company now more than ever, and as his longtime friend, she knew that better than anyone.
What she didnât expect was to open the door and find Balfour still standing right there.
Her eyes flicked involuntarily to the door where Olivia was locked behind..
âBalfour,â she uttered, her pulse quickening.