Chapter 39

A future unwritten:

Following Sophia's surprise return to the large mansion, there was tangible anxiety throughout the house. Arnold's brow pinched with barely held annoyance, had made his thoughts on the subject quite plain, his distrust of Alice's estranged sister evident in every interaction. Alice was torn, her emotions divided between the dread of her husband's disapproval and the glimmer of hope that, despite their shared history, she could assist Sophia find forgiveness. As the twins' delivery date approached, Alice became increasingly concerned with the delicate balance she was attempting to maintain. On the one hand, she wanted to give her sister another chance, to help her restore the shattered pieces of her life. On the other hand, she couldn't ignore the danger Sophia's presence represented to the fragile bliss she and Arnold had created. Sophia approached one evening while she sat in the library, her fingertips tenderly tracing the spines of the well-worn books, her look