Rising From Ruin: The Discarded Heiress

is of the Kensington family's past. Old chairs, broken lamps. In the

The stuffing was comi

ken it one day, demanding it because she was "sad." Dejah fo

l sadness. She felt a cold, hard

the attic was non-existent, turning the floor into a diaphr

ear to the wood. Her hearing focuse

ll. "Not with Vanderbilt sniffing around. If she disappears

er adoptive father-Robert. "The stocks are tanking. If

s obsessed with health. We show him a happy, healthy family. We charm him. Once the check

rli

et worth: 4 billion. Collector of antiquities. Medica

t was elegant. I

a small tin case. Inside the case were six special alloy needles. She had stolen them from a medical supply s

like a shadow, distributing her weight on the balls of her feet to avoid creaking

years ago. She didn't vault the wall-her knees wouldn't take the impact. I

h of cash-fifty dollars in small bills-from the lining of her sho

red face, leered at her. She stared back, her face hidden in the shadow of a baseball

rk. She walked to a laundromat that had a "

dryer that was out of order. She tapped a rhyt

ung open. It

cked t

air grew hot and thick. The sound

Ba

ggling tunnel turned into a black market. Stalls lined the walls

ap lower. She ne

oward the "J

an in a tailored suit swirled a glass of whiskey.

Nate said, nursin

cted. He pointed down. "Look