Agnes
I padded down the stairs and froze at the bottom.
The last person I expected to see standing in our foyer was my stepmother, looking just as immaculate and put-together as she always did. The very sight of her made me want to turn tail and run back up the stairs, especially after what my father had told me about her.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded, not bothering with niceties. I looked around but didn’t see Ava or my father. It seemed she had come alone.
She turned at the sound of my voice, a practiced smile instantly appearing on her face. “Agnes, darling,” she said, stepping forward with her arms slightly outstretched, as if she expected a hug.
I crossed my arms and kept my distance. “What do you want?”
My stepmother let her arms drop, but her smile r
