“Is this… your house?” Fred asked Carly.

“Yes, the house is mine,” she answered. “Or did you think it belonged to Manu? She lives here on charity.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but Irene cut in faster:

“Carly is Flávia Ahmad’s heir.”

I burst out laughing—loud and genuine, not sarcastic. It was actually hilarious.

“Aster Ahmad is Flávia’s heir.” I looked at Fred, feeling the chill run through me again as I noticed our fingers still intertwined. “And they are not ...