Chapter 2

Mom stood, smoothed her skirt, and glanced at the frozen image of me on her phone.

"We're not going home. I want to see which lasts longer—her act or my patience. Since she loves performing so much, she can keep doing it for the cameras. Come on, Maya. I'm taking you to your favorite restaurant."

At the upscale restaurant, Maya swung her legs under the table and blinked up at Mom.

"Mom, Sophie's been lying on that cold floor pretending for so long. She must be hungry and tired. Should we bring her back some escargot?"

As the waiter poured their lemon water, he smiled. "Your daughter is so sweet."

Mom smiled and patted Maya's head. "Maya, kindness depends on who's earned it."

She unfolded her napkin and spread it across her lap. "When it comes to someone like your sister, who's always lying, compassion only encourages her. Don't bring her anything. Let her miss a meal. Maybe she'll finally learn what dishonesty costs."

The phone on the table lit up again.

One alert after another flashed across the security app, each marked with a red exclamation point.

[Prolonged inactivity detected!]

[Abnormal temperature detected in monitored area!]

[Minor liquid leak detected...]

Mom glanced at the screen.

My fingers were still frozen in the same rigid position.

She didn't even flinch.

Instead, she turned the phone facedown.

"Here, Maya. Try the foie gras. It's good for a growing brain."

She cut off a small piece, blew on it, and held it to Maya's mouth.

Back at the house, packed with security cameras, someone Mom hadn't expected showed up.

Peggy, our housekeeper, was heading back to her hometown the next day. She'd come early to give the house one last deep cleaning.

As always, she looked through the floor-to-ceiling windows before ringing the doorbell.

The smile vanished from her face.

Through the spotless glass, she saw me lying in the middle of the living room. My face was pale with a purple tint. My body was twisted at an unnatural angle.

A small dark puddle had formed beneath me.

"Sophie! Sophie!"

Peggy panicked, pounding on the glass door.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong? Open the door!"

The glass door didn't move.

Neither did I.

She rushed to the outside panic button, but no matter how many times she hit it, nothing happened.

Peggy looked closer.

The wire had been cut clean through at the base.

Panicking, she pulled out her phone with shaking hands and called Mom.

"Hello, Peggy? What is it?" Mom sounded annoyed.

"Professor Doyle, something's wrong! Please come back!" Peggy's voice cracked as she nearly sank to the ground. "I think something happened to Sophie! She's on the floor, not moving. Her face is purple!"

My spirit hovered beside her.

Watching her panic, a tiny spark of hope flickered in me.

Peggy had watched me grow up.

Maybe...

Maybe she could get through to Mom.

But Mom's next words crushed that hope flat.

"Leave her alone. I've already told you Sophie has attention-seeking issues. This is a desensitization exercise I designed for her. The point is to correct her habit of lying."

"A desensitization exercise? What are you talking about?"

Peggy was about to lose it.