"Give me the whole second floor, will you? Is Mom''s old study still there?"


    Victoria didn''t respond to Simms-nor did she care to.


    This was her personal business, and she had no intention of discussing it with Simms.


    "How long are you nning to stay?"


    Judging by Victoria''s demeanor, she was settling in for the long haul. But how could that be allowed?


    "I''ve already moved some of my things back. In a couple of days, could you find a few people to help me with the rest? This is my home-I don''t see any problem with meing back."


    Simms fell silent.


    The house was still in Edith''s name, and Victoria was their biological daughter. He had no grounds to ask her to leave.


    "There''s no problem."


    Simms looked at Victoria, standing there with an air ofmand, and for a fleeting moment saw the ghost of histe wife in her. He couldn''t help but frown. Victoria headed upstairs, where Yasmine had already unpacked her belongings.


    The study was right next to the bedroom. Victoria stepped in, powered up herptop, and checked if any responses hade in to her job applications.


    Hours slipped by unnoticed, until her phone buzzed on the desk.


    It was Haley calling.


    "Ma''am, will you be home for dinner tonight?"


    Victoria nced up; it was already dark outside.


    "No, I won''t being back."


    She paused, then added, "Haley, pack your things over the next couple of days." Haley froze, uncertain what Victoria meant.


    After a moment, her voice dropped to a whisper. "Ma''am, I know I''m getting old, and Mr. Langford doesn''t care for me much. I understand-I don''t want to make things difficult for you."


    Victoria realized she''d misunderstood.


    "Haley, I want you toe with me to the Turner family home."


    Relief washed over Haley when she realized Victoria wasn''t letting her go.


    "But, what about Sir and Miss Gwh?"


    Haley had been with Victoria for six years. She knew the rows between Mr. and Mrs. Langford were frequent, but it had nevere to Victoria moving back in with her own family.


    A trace of bitterness flickered across Victoria''s expression. "Did he and Gwyne home tonight?"


    Haley hesitated before replying, "No, they didn''t."


    And at that, Haley understood.


    Victoria quietly ended the call.


    McNeil had said he''d be home for dinner with Gwh that evening-what a joke.


    It was nearly eight, and neither of them had so much as sent a message, let alone shown up.


    She knew where he must be at Violet''s.


    She''d seen thising for a long time, and she was done caring.


    A knock sounded at the door-Yasmine. "Come in," Victoria called softly.


    The tall, efficient woman stepped in, handing her a folder of documents.


    It was Edith''s medical records-treatment history, attending physicians, test results, every medication she''d been prescribed, all meticulously documented.


    One drug dominated the list: diazepam, and the doses were high.


    "It''s a tranquilizer, simr to a sleeping pill," Yasmine exined.


    Victoria remembered-after her mother found out about her father''s affair, Edith had suffered from chronic insomnia. Sleeping pills became her constantpanion.


    Depression, migraines, endless sleepless nights-her mother had once told her that life felt worse than death, that she wished she could end it all, if only she weren''t so attached to Victoria.


    In the end, she left anyway.


    Years of antidepressants had ravaged her body, and ultimately hastened her death.


    Victoria found nothing amiss in the records-Simms had indeed taken good care of her mother during those difficult years.


    But what Victoria could never forgive was that he''d already had Yulia before her mother died. Edith''s death couldn''t be pinned entirely on Simms, but he was far from meless.


    “I understand. I''ve arranged a guest room for you here—move your things in over the next few days."