Chapter 2

The speedometer pushed past eighty, and the scenery outside blurred into streaks.

I stared at the bleeding bead of wood, my whole body cold.

Before my grandmother died, her withered fingers had gripped my wrist as she rasped, "Maya, this rosary keeps the harm away. A broken bead is a warning. If one ever cracks off, no matter what you're doing, don't look back. Run as far as you can."

I had always thought it was just mountain superstition.

Until today, when the threat of death came down around me with terrifying clarity.

My phone kept vibrating in my bag, the frantic buzz making my heart pound.

The screen lit up with message after message.

I tapped the top one. It was a video Daniel had posted in the family group chat.

The video came from the lottery shop's security camera.

In it, I looked frantic as I shoved him away, hair disheveled, scrambling into a cab.

He had added a long caption.

"Everyone, judge this for yourselves. I just scratched off five million, and Maya said a bead breaking off her stupid wooden rosary was a bad omen. She wants to divorce me and leave with nothing.

"She took a cab and ran off overnight, abandoning even our home. I suspect she was mentally triggered, or maybe she has someone outside and is staging this to force me into a divorce and split the money!"

The group chat exploded.

His older sister wrote, "I always said women from the mountains can't be trusted! The second big money shows up, her true colors come out!"

His uncle wrote, "Call the police! Don't let her clean out the savings account!"

Then my mother-in-law, Linda Lawson, sent a voice message.

The moment I tapped it, her shrill scolding stabbed into my ears.

"Maya, you jinx! My son finally got lucky, and now you're acting crazy? Get back here right now! If you dare touch a single cent of that five million, I'll fight you to the death!"

Expressionless, I locked the screen.

They only cared about money.

Even though I had said I would leave with nothing, they still believed I was plotting for that windfall.

Ahead was a tunnel. The car plunged into darkness.

I messaged several friends in the city, my fingers shaking badly.

"Listen to me. No matter what you're doing, leave this city immediately. Do not stay here."

The message had barely gone out before a red exclamation mark appeared.

I had been kicked out of the group chat.

A private message from one of my friends came right after.

"Maya, you're overdoing it. Daniel already posted the surveillance video on his feed. If you want to keep the prize money for yourself, just say so. Who are you trying to scare with this supernatural act? Disgusting."

I gave a bitter smile and turned off my phone.

No one believed me.

In everyone's eyes, I was a money-hungry lunatic who had snapped.

The cab exited the tunnel. A road sign ahead showed that the state line was still ninety miles away.

If I could make it past the toll plaza, I could leave this place.

"Miss, your husband called the police."

The driver suddenly spoke, his voice tense.

He pointed at the ride-hailing app on the console.

A platform alert had popped up, saying the vehicle was being tracked by family members and police, and the driver was required to stop nearby.

"Don't stop!"

I shot upright and threw the remaining jewelry in my bag toward him.

"I didn't break the law, and I didn't take a cent from him! Sir, if you get me across the state line, all of this is yours!"

The driver looked at me through the rearview mirror, suspicion creeping into his eyes.

The car slowed noticeably.

"It's not about money..."

He muttered as he turned on the right signal.

"They said you have mental problems and violent tendencies. I've got old folks and kids at home. I can't take that kind of risk."

The car gradually slid toward the service area ahead.

I looked out the window in despair.