Chapter 4

"What happened between the last generation has nothing to do with her." Kyle pulled the sobbing Rose tightly into his arms. "Watch your words, Grace. Don’t take it too far. It’s just a stupid bracelet. Rose, let’s give it back to her."

He yanked the bracelet off her wrist and threw it at me with force. "Come on. I’ll buy you a better, more expensive one right now."

Jones glanced at me and sighed. "Grace, why do you always have to be so difficult? Do you really have to make everything so unbearable for everyone? Rose is such a gentle girl. Why can’t you just accept her? You’re both women. Why can’t you be more like her—kind, sweet?

"And about the design contest… Grace, you already have so much. Whether you win that award or not doesn’t matter to you. Rose is different. She needs it. To prove herself. To have a place in this family. To be slowly accepted by Kyle’s family."

He reached out, trying to help me up. "Grace—"

"Get away from me." I slapped his hand away and let out a cold laugh.

"Brother." It would be the last time I ever called him that.

I stared him dead in the eyes. "You’ll get what’s coming to you. I swear it."

Jones frowned and looked away.

"Grace, I’ll make it up to you somehow," he mumbled, before turning and walking away to catch up with Kyle and Rose.

I stood up slowly and picked up the bracelet from the ground, pressing it to my chest and feeling Mom.

I couldn’t cry anymore. I’d moved past grief into numbness. My tears were gone.

The forecast warned of rising temperatures. The dry heat could lead to fires, they said.

That night, I tossed postcard after postcard into the fire, then picked up the old photo albums.

Years of memories—me, Kyle, and Jones. All those smiling faces, captured in frame after frame.

I watched them curl and blacken in the flames. Our laughter burned to ash. The firelight flickered in my eyes as a gust of wind scattered the postcards.

On them was faded handwriting.

From Jones: "I will always protect my little Grace. She’s the best sister in the world. No one is allowed to bully her."

From Kyle: "When I grow up, I’ll be Grace’s mate. We’ll have two babies. A boy named Jack and a girl named Lucy."

They had sworn it, promised I was more important than their lives. That they would never betray me.

Time had weathered the postcards. The ink had started to fade, just like the promises they once made.

I watched as the burning cards and photos drifted into the sky.

The fire grew stronger, catching the curtains and the closet. Thick smoke rolled through the room.

My face turned flushed from the heat. Tears streamed down my cheeks.

Then, my phone rang. It was Kyle.

I didn’t answer.

Jones called next.

I declined that too.

Then, Kyle texted me. "Grace, no matter what, Rose is still your sister. She’s always hoped to earn your approval. She’s about to go onstage and accept her award. Please come wish her well. I’ll buy you some gifts you like tomorrow and bring them when I get back. Just be more mature, okay?"

Jones messaged me right after that. "Grace, stop being so moody. I’ll make it up to you. As for Mom’s bracelet, I’ll have one made exactly the same. Please forgive me."

I stared at the screen and laughed bitterly.

I replied to both of them.

To Kyle: "She doesn’t deserve my blessing. The Moon Goddess will send her and her mother straight to hell."

To Jones: "Aren’t you afraid Mom’s watching from the other side, seeing the garbage you’ve done and cursing you with karma?"

Then, I yanked out the SIM card and tossed it into the fire.

I uncorked the entire bottle of potion I’d gotten from the witch and drank it all in one go.

My chest flared with searing pain, and my wolf let out a howl of anguish. I severed every mind-link I had with them.

Taking one last look at the villa that held all our memories, I turned, walked away, and never looked back.

There was nothing worth staying for here.

The dry, hot wind fed the flames until the roaring fire swallowed the entire villa whole. The house that once held our laughter and love was now reduced to ashes and ruin.