Chapter 60:

The Family of Fools

Ella

I turned slowly, my chest tightening with a profound, bitter dread as I saw them enter the hall. My adoptive parents—my stepmother and stepfather—walked through the now-frozen crowd with stern, heavy steps, their combined presence demanding silence and immediate attention.

Not them too, I thought, the realization clenching my hands at my sides until my fingernails dug into my palms. My heart sank, heavy and cold as a stone in my chest.

They walked ...