“Stop overreacting, you’re ruining her day!” my mother hissed, grabbing my hair and pushing me over the balcony railing at my sister’s party. I blacked out. When I woke up, the upscale venue was surrounded by federal agents, and my mother was sobbing on her knees while my sister held a document and begged me…

clicking of stilettos echoed from the upper landing. The chatter in the hall died instantly. Patricia descended the stairs like a monarch surveying a conquered province. She wore a striking emerald-green gown, her neck dripping with a constellation of diamonds. Her smile was flawless, mathematical, and utterly devoid of a soul.

“Rachel,” she purred,continue reading …