Ste rolled over and pushed herself upright.


    The room wasn''tpletely dark—a nightlight glowed faintly in the corner, casting a soft shadow across her face. She looked almost emotionless.


    "Sick as she was, I''m honestly surprised Urs managed to hang on this long before finally kicking the bucket," Ste said, her tone t.


    Everyone figured Urs would be finished within days after Jaxon Larkin threw her out of the Larkin household.


    No one expected she''d survive this many nights on the street.


    Tegan huffed. "So what if she was tough? You can fight fate all you want, but in the end, she still died a miserable wreck."


    You can refuse to ept your lot, but you can''t trample over someone else to get ahead.


    After all, what goes aroundes around.


    Ste''s brow arched slightly when she heard how bad Urs''s end had been. "How miserable are we talking?"


    Tegan hesitated, lowering her voice. "Under the highway bridge. Two homeless guys... did things to her."


    She trailed off, letting the ugly details hang unsaid.


    But Ste got the picture.


    Homeless. That was fitting.


    Urs had once tried so hard to keep up her fancy image—she''d even tried to get Ste killed rather than let here home.


    Even after Ste returned to the Larkin estate, Urs did everything she could to keep her own reputation spotless, constantly putting Ste down.


    She never epted she was just the adopted daughter, always acting like she was better than everyone.


    And that''s where she ended up.


    Ste nodded. "That''s pretty rough."


    Actually, it was worse than rough. It was tragic.


    Tegan shrugged. "She had iting. Back when you were in the hospital, if Susie and I hadn''t watched out for you, who knows how you would''ve ended up? And Jaxon..."


    Just saying his name made Tegan''s voice go sharp.


    Ste was his sister—his real sister.


    But Jaxon, for Urs''s sake, had tried to hurt Ste more times than she could count.


    Some she knew about, others she probably never would.


    Ste felt a heaviness in her chest. "Thanks for all you did back then."


    Tegan waved her off. "Don''t get sappy. Just thought you''d like to know. Maybe it''ll make you feel better."


    After all, Urs had tormented Ste in every way possible, and now karma had finally caught up.


    Call it fate, or just in justice—what goes around,es around.


    Ste sighed. "To be honest, after I moved back, I barely even thought about Urs."


    Not just Urs.


    The whole Larkin bunch—unless someone shoved their names in her face, she hardly remembered them at all.


    Some people just aren''t worth remembering.


    Tegan chuckled. "Sounds like life in Ferrond''s treating you pretty well."


    "Yeah," Ste replied, her answer simple but loaded with contentment.


    Once, Yorick Quarry and the Larkins had bet on Ste getting thrown out of the Quinn family. But they''d been wrong.


    They''d waited eagerly for the day she''d be kicked to the curb...


    "So, what about you? How''ve you been?" Ste asked.


    When they''d both left Portis City, things between Tegan and Uriah Horner had been...plicated.


    Ste still worried about her sometimes.


    Tegan shrugged. "I''m alright."


    Butpared to Ste''s easy confidence, Tegan''s answer sounded forced.


    Ste caught the hesitation and frowned. "If it gets too rough in Portis City,e out to Ferrond. I could get you into a good hospital—no problem."


    No point in forcing yourself to stay somewhere you''re not happy.


    Tegan rolled her eyes. "I don''t need your help."


    Ste grinned. "Right, right, you''re a genius. The second you ditch Uriah, there''ll be a line of people wanting you on their team."