bChapter /bb17 /b

Yana’s hands shook, her voice nearly a scream. Tie these jerks up! I want to know who’s bold enough to cause trouble at a Lambert family g

“Mom, let’s bleave /bit to the experts,” Skr said, cool as ever. “Call the police.”

Yana, still steaming, took a deep breath to calm down. “Skr’s right. Get the cops heret

“No way!” Freya yelped, her voice high and sharp, cutting through the heavy air.

bShe /bwas overdoing it way too much.

Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto her, curious and suspicious.

Skr’s lips twitched into a sly smirk. “What’s the issue, Freya? Why’re you so against calling the cops?”

“You seem pretty rattled,” she added, tilting her bhead/b. “You got a connection to these guys or something?”

Yana’s stare turned cold, her tone sharp. “Freya?”

Freya’s heart raced, bYana’s /b

doubt bit..

hitting her like a punch.

She swallowed her panic, her lips quivering as tears streamed down. “I’m just trying to protect Skr! How could you guys think that about me?”

“Really?” Skr leaned back, arms crossed, her voice thick with doubt. “Then exin. How exactly are you protecting me?”

Freya’s mind scrambled. “If we call the cops, this whole thing will spread like wildfire. People will gossip, and it’ll ruin Skr’s reputation.”

She cried out, b“/bI’m just looking out for her, I swear”

Yana’s tense face softened, ba /bflicker of guilt in her eyes.

Freya jumped on it, her voice bshaky /bas she looked at Yana, “I get it, Mom. You’re all about Skr right now. She’s been through a lot, and you want to keep her safe. I’m not upset.”

Her wordsnded, making Yana feel even guiltier.

Yana reached for Freya’s hand, her voice gentle. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I jumped to conclusions.”

Freya gave a small nod. “It’s okay, Mom.”

The tension fadedb, /band everyone let it go.

Yana turned to Skr, “This is your call, Skr. How do you bwant /bto handle it?”

She know the smart move but wanted Skr to decide bcare /bto overstep, because that might offend Skr

Skr’s eyes narrowed. “Mom, the Lambert estate isn’t some open house.”

The ce was locked down tight–security guards patrolled round–the–clock, and the bentrance /bhad a high–tech system that’d re rms and stop intruders cold if triggeredb. /b

et those bguys /bhad strolled in, untouched, band /bheaded straight for the room where Skr was changing

bYet /b

Coincidence? Not a bchance/b.

Yana let bout /ba sharpugh. “Looks like we’ve got some traitors in our own home.”

Let’s do it your way,” she went on. “Call the cops. Once they get these guys talking, we’ll clean house.”

Skr gave a quick nod.

The police showed up fast, taking brief statements.

They carted the men off to the station, promising to follow up on any leads.

Freya’s stomach twisted, her nerves shot.

She slipped into a corner, fumbling with her phone to text for help. Before she could send it, a hand yanked the phone from her grip.

She whipped around, eyes wide. “Who…”

A slim hand mped around her throat, cutting off her words, Her breath caught. “S Skr, are you crazy?”

“Am I crazy?” Skr’s smile was sugary sweet, her grip tightening. “Didn’t you already figure that out?”

Freya gasped, wing at the air, desperate for air.

It wasn’t enough.

Her face turned ba /bsickly purple, eyes rolling back as her vision faded.

Just as she was about to pass outb, /bSkr let go.

Freya copsed to the floor like a tossed rag, wheezing, her body drenched in cold sweat. She didn’t care about the gross stickiness–she couldn’t

She stared up at Skr, pure fear gripping her. This wasn’t her sister. This was a nightmare straight out of hell

Skr crouched down, her fingers brushing Freya’s cheek. “Why the terrified puppy blook/b?”

She grabbed Freya’s chin, bforcing /bher to look up. “Your bneck’s /bso delicate.”

“If bI’d /bsqueezed just a bit harder,” she said, almost curious, “you think it would’ve snapped?b” /b

Freya screamed, smacking Skr’s bhand /baway and scooting back. “You’re a monster Stay away from me?”

Skr caught her wrist, her other hand pinning Freya’s shoulder, Holding her still. “If you want to stay in one piece, you’d better behave.”

“Don’t mess with me,” she warned, her voice low. “Or you’ll regret it.”

She gave Freya’s cheek a light pat. “Don’t forget this moment: Let it stick with you.”

Freya swallowed hard, her bthroat /btight with panic.

Skr, looking pleased, stood up smoothly and strolled away.

Freya let out a shaky breath, her body saggingb. /bShe sat on the floor, stunned, for what felt like ages.

Finally, she leaned against the cold hardwood, pulling herself up and stumbling back to the g, her legs feeling like they were made of lead. Downstairs, the party was still going strong, with guests clinking bsses /bandughing,pletely bunaware /bof the drama that had bgone /bdown upstairs.

The second Freya showed up, her group of friends bswooped /bin, tugging her onto a cushy couch.

“Freyab, /bwhere’d you run off to?” one asked, swirling her wine ss. “We blooked /ball overb./b”

“Had to handle something Freya muttered, smoothing out her dress.

A friend who loved gossip leaned in, eyes sparkling. “So, Freya, I thought you were the only Lambert kid. Where’d this sistere from?”

Freya’s fingers gripped her skirt tightly. “She saved Dad’s life once. He took her in as a foster daughter to thank her

Anch heiress nced at Skt, now in casual clothes, and frowned, “She’s so young. How good could her doctor skills ma

“Doesn’t matter how good she is,” Freya bsaid/b, sipping her teacup, “What matters is she was there to save him.”

The group of social butterflies swapped knowing nces, picking up the hint of shade in her voice.

“Lucky break for her,” one smirked.

“You were the only Lambert kid before,” another whispered. “Now there’s two of you. She might try to push you out. Watch yourself.”

Freya gave a sweet smile, her eyes soft. “Thanks for the tip, girls. Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control.”

“If she causes trouble, just say so,” a friend added, flipping her hair. “We’ve got your back.”

Freya nodded, her smile steady.

As the g wrapped up, Freya stood by the entrance with Vana and the others, waving goodbye to guests

One of the guests, Phil Lewis’s date, Nadia Jenkins, stepped out and locked eyes with Skr, her face nk, almost like she was in a daze.

Freya’s instincts kicked in. “Ms. Jenkins, you’re staring bat /bbmy /bsister. Do you know her?”

Nadia shook her head, snapping out of it. “She just looks… familiar.”

bSkr /bshrugged, her voice easy. “Guess I’ve got amon face.”

Nadiaughed lightly. “Not quite. You’re not someone people forget.”

“Your name sounds familiar, too,” she added, tilting her head. “Reminds me of someone I knew. Same first name, but herst name was Stone, not Lambert.”

Skr’s lips tightened. “Probably just a coincidence.”

“Must be,” Nadia said with a shrug. “The Skr I knew is still in prison. No way

by /bshe’d be here.”

Freya’s ears perked up, her voice eager. “What was that Skr Like? Tell me more.”