Chapter 43

My hand wasn't just burning; it felt like it was still on fire.

Stella stood by the stove, her face a mask of fake innocence.

"I don’t know how it happened, Meredyth," she said, her voice trembling slightly as if she were the one in shock. "Her necklace... the clasp must have broken. It just fell right into the flames. I was already reaching for the tongs to get it out, but then Emily just... she just grabbed it with her bare hand."

I looked at her, my vision blurring from the pain. She was a natural liar.

“Come here, quick!” Meredyth pulled me toward the sink and turned on the tap. Cool water ran over my skin, and I screamed.

The pain didn’t disappear. It changed. It became sharper, deeper, biting into my nerves.

“I know, I know…” Meredyth whispered, holding my wrist gently but firmly under the stream. “You have to keep it there.”

I tried to pull away, the shock finally hitting me. She didn’t let go.

“Emil