Rising From Ruin: The Discarded Heiress

d of a car engine roared outside. Not a norma

oze. "Who

rson hadn't fully latched i

anderbilt

he owned the deed to the land. His presence sucked the air out of the

rough a rapid transformation from

"Oh my goodness. What a surpri

room until they landed on Dejah, standing

e my friend some

. "Friend? You

the stairs. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, orange plastic bottle. It w

rops," Casimir said, his voice sm

w it was a prop. She knew he was pl

she said, tak

yn. The charm vanished. His face be

n't help but overhear at the gate...

... it's just a misunder

iend of the Vanderbilt family use the servants' do

ed like she might faint. "It

door. "I don't like his face," Casimir said simply.

ed to his knees

k, almost imperceptible gesture. "Call me if th

l," sh

, leaving a wake of terr

lculating. She was doing the math. The spare pa

she whispered, he

inued up t

e. She locked the door. She went to the window and watche

," she

r emergency kit years ago-a loose floorboard under an old r

ge of her nose and her cheekbones, altering the way the light hit her face. In the dim lighting of the underground, shadows were more important t

r shoulders forward, adopted a slight sl

gone. In the mirror stood

kylight. The col

o the roof. It was