Part 1The Dangerous Mind Of The Missing Blackwood Heiress

The day my biological parents finally brought me home to the Blackwood estate, I spent most of the afternoon staring at the girl who had spent the last twenty years living my life. She looked fragile, like expensive bone china.

I looked at her and thought: She’s so frail. One clean cut and she wouldn’t even have the breath to scream.

Then I glanced out the floor-to-ceiling windows. Killing is the easy part; it’s the disposal that’s the headache. But this garden... the soil in the back lot looks soft. Perfect for a shallow grave.

I didn’t realize it then, but my parents’ faces went paper-white the second those thoughts crossed my mind.

As for the other three, I mused, my gaze shifting to my "new" family. I’d have to take them out one by one. The brother will be the problem.

I cut my eyes toward Sebastian, my older brother. He was leaning against the mantle, watching me with a calculated intensity. A frontal assault would be sloppy. Better to wait until he’s asleep. One quick strike to the carotid. Clean. Efficient.

Serena, the girl who had been occupying my bedroom for two decades, started sobbing. Her tears were perfectly timed, shimmering like dew. "Sloane... I can tell you hate me. Is it because I’m here? I’ll leave, I promise..."

I barely heard her. I was drifting again, my mind back in the dark places it usually inhabited.

If I killed her now, there are too many witnesses. I’d have to eliminate everyone in the room. Four bodies? That’s a lot of heavy lifting. My back would never forgive me.

When I finally snapped back to reality, I found my parents and Sebastian staring at me with expressions of pure, unadulterated horror.

Suddenly, Serena let out a sharp cry and collapsed at my feet, clutching her ankle. "Sloane! Why did you push me?"

Stupid girl, I thought, looking down at her. If I had actually laid a hand on you, you’d be on your way to the morgue, not the carpet.

My parents moved faster than I expected. They practically lunged at her, dragging her behind them as if I were a live grenade.

"Serena, stop!" my mother cried out, her voice trembling. "Don’t say another word!"

* * *

My mother pulled Serena behind her with such force that Serena stumbled. The girl looked stunned; she had clearly expected a different reaction. Her eyes welled up again, looking toward my mother with a wounded pout. "Mom, I..."

But my mother wasn’t looking at her. She was staring at me, her eyes filled with a primal sort of wariness, the kind you show a predator that has wandered into your living room.

I tilted my head, genuinely curious. I didn’t understand where that fear was coming from.

Serena wasn’t ready to give up the spotlight. Her voice dropped to a soft, tragic whisper. "Dad, Mom... I don't blame her. I’m sure she didn't mean it. I just lost my balance..."

"Right," my father muttered, his voice strained. "Serena, go to your room. Now."

Serena froze. She bit her lip, looking back and forth between them, before reluctantly retreating toward the stairs. She didn’t go all the way up, though. She lingered at the landing, peeking through the banisters.

My father caught Sebastian’s eye and gave a subtle nod.

Sebastian didn't say a word. He pulled out his phone and began scrolling rapidly, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Let's get her settled," my father whispered to my mother, his voice barely audible.

My mother blinked, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace. She turned to me. "Your... your room is on the second floor. Let me show you?"

I didn't answer. Once I’m in "the zone," I don’t talk much. I just followed her up the stairs.

She had chosen a room for me that was directly across the hall from the master suite. She pushed the door open to reveal a massive, expertly decorated space. It was clear they had spent a fortune preparing for my arrival.

My mother hovered at the threshold, seemingly afraid to step inside. "We put you here so you'd be close to us," she said, her voice thin. "If you need anything in the night... anything at all... you can just call for us."

I scanned the room, my mind instinctively mapping the layout.

Three blind spots for the security cameras. The window overlooks the lawn—a bit of a drop, but easy enough to scale if I need a quick exit. The walk-in closet is oversized. Plenty of room to hide a body.

And they put me right across the hall? Do they really want to make it that easy for me to pay them a midnight visit?

My mother’s face turned the color of ash.

I opened my mouth to ask if she was feeling alright, but the sound of footsteps interrupted me. Serena was back.

She was carrying a silver tray with sliced fruit, a sweet, practiced smile plastered on her face. "Sloane, I brought you some snacks. I thought we could talk, maybe get to know—"

"No!" my mother barked, stepping between us.

"She’s tired, Serena. She needs her rest. Go back to your room."

Serena’s smile faltered. She looked at our mother, then at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. This was the woman who had spent twenty years indulging her every whim, a woman who had never said "no" to her.

Did blood really run that much thicker than water?

Serena tightened her grip on the tray, her knuckles white. "Of course. Rest well... sister."

She turned and fled, her heels clicking sharply against the hardwood.

I stood there, watching her disappear around the corner. I had no intention of doing anything tonight; the cross-country trip had left me exhausted.

"I’ll leave you to it," my mother whispered, backing away. "Call us if you need anything."

I nodded slightly and shut the door. I lay down on the bed, closing my eyes to find some peace, but I couldn't help but notice the footsteps in the hallway.

They were rhythmic. Precise. Every fifteen minutes, someone walked past my door.

Patrolling? I wondered. Are they afraid of an intruder, or are they afraid of me?

The frequency is too predictable, though. Fifteen-minute intervals are plenty of time to get work done if you know how to move.

The footsteps outside my door paused for a beat, then hurried away, faster than before.