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My father, Jake, appears at the doorway with a tight look in his eyes. He’s the same age as Beth. They were high school sweethearts when he knocked her up. My grandfather eventually forced him to marry her, as to not disrespect the family. Now, as adults, they couldn’t be more different.

“Layla, don’t shut me out, please,” Beth says as I work to gain control of my emotions. Seeing her after all these months has me falling apart at the seams. It’s easy—so easy—to blame her for everything. But now that she’s here, her eyebrows are pinched together full of emotion, my anger stalls…momentarily. Until the moment I remember she signed the paperwork to take away my identity and any decision-making authority I have for myself.

She’s worried, and she loves me. But this is her fault because she didn’t protect me. Now she’s holding me captive, forcing me to live a life I don’t want. I stomp by her and crumble into my dad’s arms. For reasons I can’t explain, I don’t blame him the same way I blame her. She takes away his voice too.

Beth sighs. “You’re something else, Layla. So ungrateful.” A surge of emotion overwhelms me as she runs inside, sobbing. She was always one for theatrics.

Jake squeezes my shoulder. “Don’t shut your mom out too long, Laylabug. She’s worried about you.”

My eyes water as I pull back and stare at him. His eyes are bloodshot, and a hint of whiskey teases his breath. I haven’t seen my parents much in the past few months. It’s hard for them to visit Vancouver because of how busy they are with the company, and my mom doesn’t like the city. He’s aged…a lot.

I sniffle and wipe the tear from my eye. “She wasn’t the one abducted,” I remind him.

He takes off his backward hat and runs his hands through his dark hair. “No…she wasn’t. But I saw her fall apart when you went missing. She cried herself to sleep every night you were gone.” He gulps down a sob in his throat. “Everyone believed you were dead, Laylabug. But not your mom. She never lost hope, even when I did. She loves you more than you realize. She just doesn’t know how to show it.”

That’s an understatement. I wasn’t a welcome addition to the family. She was too young and self-absorbed when I was born. That’s why Sarah and Regina basically helped raise me. She never changed. I let out a deep sigh. “I’m tired…I need to lie down.”

“Whatever you need. Your mom is cooking tonight. She told me to tell you dinner is at six.” My stomach grumbles. I do like Beth’s cooking.

We head inside, and I go straight to my room, dragging my bag with me. I packed a small suitcase because I have no idea how long I’m staying. I didn’t even bring my painting…hardly seems worth it anymore.

My back is facing the door as I unpack my clothes and glance around the bedroom that my parents haven’t changed since I left. It also doesn’t feel like mine anymore. A few minutes go by, and my door creaks open. Beth was never good at knocking, but I was expecting her. She doesn’t know how to leave me alone.

“Layla, please talk to me.”

I turn to face her, swallowing down my emotions. This won’t end until I deal with her. Or at least until she can convince herself everything is fine.

“Why did you make me come back here?” I ask.

She crosses her arms. “I needed you home with me. I’m worried about you, Layla. Regina told me you’ve been hurting yourself, and you believe someone is after you still.”

Someone shot at me, isn’t that enough proof?

I let out a deep sigh and slump my shoulders. “I had a setback. That’s all. No one is after me.”

She steps inside my room uninvited. “I received a call from the police officer investigating the art event. They checked everywhere, there was no bullet, sweetheart. The light exploded because of the rain. It caused an electrical shortage. It was awful timing, and I completely understand why it would scare you.”

That’s impossible. The timing was impeccable. I blink up at her and my face falls. “And you really believe that?”

She presses her fingers between her nose. “I think you’re being paranoid. The angle required to hit that lamp would have been impossible. There was no bullet or even evidence of one. No one is after you.”

My heart nearly shatters as I ponder that possibility. “You’re wrong,” I mutter under my breath to the point Beth barely registers it. I can’t have her thinking I’m paranoid on top of everything else.

“The man who did this to you is dead now, Layla.”

Toby Myers. He was so convenient, wasn’t he? He used to work for my family. A creepy dude who lived alone in the woods. They barely investigated him before making an arrest. This makes things easier for Beth, as otherwise Sarah Crawley would have been right all along, and there are indeed layers to this situation.

Moving through the room, she yanks the blinds closed, then spins facing me. “Regina also told me you’ve been hurting yourself in your sleep.”

I press my lips together and weigh my next words. She’ll think I’m crazy if I tell her I think someone broke into my apartment and did this to me. Especially since my door was padlocked and there were no signs of forced entry. She believes I did this to myself, and that’s worse.

“I’m sorry. It was a mistake. I had sex with someone. We got carried away.”

Her pupils dilate, and she seems to lose all color in her face. “Who?”

“Mom. I’m twenty-two years old in two weeks. My sex life is none of your business.”

Her lip twitches. “Don’t mess with me right now, Layla. Who are you having sex with?”