My Stolen Life, Their Bitter Downfall

, to protect my fragile stepsister Clara, took

mised me it was temporary, that they would wait for me, that they w

old, empty air. They hadn't come. They were all at a party, celebrating Clara's birthday

my absence, stolen my life. Julian, the man who had sworn he loved me, had fallen into her care

ought I would once again yield f

ind out just how fat

pte

ne. One year is enough time for th

or a financial fraud crime that should have ruined her life. My fiancé, Julian Thorne, and my parents, the Sterlings,

protect, a fiancé who loved me. I was safe.

red on the day

cold morning wind, but saw no familiar faces. Not Julia

traight to Julian's company, Thorne Industries. The security guard in the lobby sto

he'd misplaced it in a massive parking garage. The glowing dot on my phone screen wasn't anywhere near his us

ach grew, tightening with every mile. The address led me to a sprawling modern mansion

g windows, I saw a scene that didn't make sense. And then, I saw him. My fiancé,

ybe four or five years old. The boy was giggling

anding next to them, her ha

Ster

t the happy mother and lady of the house. She laughed, a sound I remembered with a shudder, and leaned in to kiss Ju

ts axis. I stumbled back into the shadow

ices through the slig

, her voice dripping with contentmen

with an affection I now realized I had never truly received.

ng?" Clara asked, her tone shifting sligh

cruelty that stole the air from my lungs. "She's so grateful to h

inks you're going to marry her. Still thinks Momm

all. They know they owe you. We all do. This house, this life... i

Her whole story of a breakdown was a per

The money for this lavish life, this secret family, it came fr

found after a childhood in foster care-was a carefully constructed stage. And I was the fool

my body shaking so hard I could barely turn the key in the i

ting. So exhausting. I m

his real family, was the final blow. The world d

they couldn't control. The grief was a physical weight, crushing my

pathetic. They th

o find out just h