Chapter 1

Every breath was a shard of glass in my throat. My ribs were broken.

Bloody foam frothed at my lips, staining the white marble crimson.

"Can't you just be quiet? Do you want to drive her insane?" My father, Victor, roared so loud the whole mansion seemed to shake.

I wanted to tell him it was an accident, but my throat was full of blood. I couldn't make a sound.

By the shattered glass table, my sister, Chloe, was curled into a ball, hands clamped over her ears, letting out a piercing scream.

"She did it on purpose! She wants to kill me! Get her away from me! Get her away!"

My mother, Elena, knelt in front of her, tending to the shallow cut on her arm and cooing.

"It's okay, baby, it's okay. Mommy's here. She won't bother you again."

I tried to lift a hand, to ask for help.

But more blood foamed at my lips. Darkness was closing in.

“Dad… Mom…” My voice was barely a whisper.

No one looked back.

My vision was blurring.

Their world had shrunk to my sister, trembling by the broken table.

My mind flashed back to the afternoon that changed everything.

I had raced home, clutching an acceptance letter from the lead dancer program.

"Mom, I got into the Royal Ballet Company!" I burst through the door, my words tumbling out.

Elena snatched the letter from my hand. She ripped it to shreds right in front of me.

"Are you crazy, Sera?" she hissed, glancing upstairs in fear. "The sound of pointe shoes will make Chloe sick!"

I just stood there, frozen, the smile dying on my face.

"But Mom, it's the Royal Ballet! There were only three spots in all of New York!" My voice trembled. "My instructor called me a prodigy…"

"You're the good one." Elena stroked my hair, her eyes full of pity. "The whole family has to protect your sister. You're healthy. You can sacrifice a little for her, can't you?"

I nodded. In my room, I packed my dream away, swallowing it like a shard of glass.

The pool of blood on the floor was getting bigger.

My breathing grew shallow and fast. I started seeing spots.

"Mom, it hurts!" I struggled to reach out.

Elena glanced over, her face a mask of annoyance. "Sera, stop being so dramatic. Can't you see Chloe's not well? We'll deal with you later."

My sister's screams grew more hysterical. "Get her out! Get her out of this house!"

She grabbed a heavy marble vase from a nearby pedestal and smashed it on the ground, sending shards flying.

Victor rushed to her side, holding her like she was made of glass.

"It's okay, Chloe, Dad's here. You're safe," Victor’s voice was as gentle as a spring breeze. "Daddy took care of your careless sister. No one will ever hurt you again, my angel."

My fingers scraped against the iron railing. A nail cracked, leaving a thin smear of blood on the metal.