Ivy’s pov.

We sat across the table, and Aunt Celeste had a smug smile on her face. It was as if the air had been punched out of the room, leaving only the steady crackle of the fire between us.

The last time I had seen her she looked at me like I was a mistake, an unfortunate piece of dirt that just happened to be born into this world.

Finally, she sighed and moved toward the small table, her movements deliberate. “You look pale,” she said softly, as if the years between us had never ...