Chapter 2 Catching Up With Old Ghosts The door swung open, and Raymond strode in, yakking with his assistant. He glanced over and froze, locking eyes with a pair of amber eyes staring back. His jaw tightened. She was familiar, but like a ghost from another life. Ten years had vanished, yet there she stood, right in front of him."Eden?" It wasn't a question-he knew. She was her mother's mirror image. Back in the day, Madeline and the Celia were Drea City's darlings-two brilliant women, the "Gems of Drea City." Eden? She got all that beauty and then some. Raymond's eyes got watery. "Eden, how-" Before she could speak, he stepped closer, looking her over. "You're way too skinny. Been through hell out there, huh?" Eden gave a half-smirk. Years on her own had made her cagey about this kind of closeness, even from her dad. "I'm fine," she said, shrugging. After a beat, she tossed out a quick story. "My foster folks were good to me. They just passed early." Raymond grinned wide. "Man, it's so damn good to have you back." He pulled the woman behind him and Julie forward. "Oh, Eden, meet your stepmom and your little sis, Julie." The stepmom, who'd been kinda quiet before, suddenly stood taller, like she owned the place. She flashed a smile, playing the perfect host. "Eden, welcome home. Bet you're starving after that trip. Dinner's almost ready-I'll have the kitchen hook up something special for you." Eden just nodded. Worked for her. At dinner, Raymond finally asked about her life. Eden was ready. She'd been bouncing around for years, but she had connections. Faking a backstory and some school papers? No sweat. Raymond didn't dig too deep. After a few questions, he laid out his plan. "So, you were a freshman in Shuimond City, right? Me and Celia figured school's the move. "How about you and Julie hit Everbright High School here in Drea City? It's perfect-school's just kicking off, and you'll catch their Physical Conditioning Week. No worries about falling behind." Celia chimed in, hesitant. "Raymond, Shuimond City schools aren't great, and Everbright High School's got tough standards..." "Eden's got brains. She'll fit right in," her stepdad said, waving off his new wife's concern. "I dropped some cash on a competition in Everbright High recently. Getting her in's no big deal." His tone was firm, like the matter was already settled. That was exactly what Eden was hoping for. A chance to hit reset, to live like a regular high school girl. Sure, she'd picked up a hard edge over the years, with a streak of cold-blooded grit. But deep down, there was still a trace of the kindness her Theonian roots had woven into her. Plus, she wasn't sure how long she'd be back. If she wanted to dodge the Susmon Region's watchful eyes, blending in as a normal teen was her best play. After lunch, Eden slipped away to the cemetery to visit her mom's grave. Her mother, Madeline, had been a total rock star. At seventeen, she'd landed a full ride to Drea University, tearing through her degrees like it was nothing. She'd made waves in biology research before she even graduated, then scored a gig at a national research institute-a real up-and-comer. And that wasn't all: she was a killer musician, too, who'd studied abroad for a bit. Smart, charming, and the life of the party, Madeline had been the person to know in Drea City's high society. And yet, somehow, she'd died in a car wreck. When Eden was a kid, traffickers had grabbed her, nearly shipping her off to Erdoland to have her organs harvested. She'd escaped that horror, only to be nabbed by Ravenhold's crew in Crealand. For ten years, they forged her into a lethal weapon. The first five years, she was cut off from the world, no way to reach out. The next five, she started building her own crew, quietly setting up connections across the globe. It was then she got word of her mom's crash and her dad's new wife. Even though she'd wanted to come back, home didn't feel like home anymore. And Ravenhold's goons were always watching. This time, though, she'd blindsided Ravenhold and ticked off some heavy hitters in Susmon Region. Coming back was her only play. "Hey, Eden!" Julie's voice broke through as Eden stood by her mom's grave. "Dad sent me to find you. Quinten's got a chess game going and asked if you wanna tag along." Julie stood at the cemetery gate, rocking a fancy white dress and light makeup, with two bodyguards hovering behind her like she was some kind of pop star. "He invited you, not me," Eden said, tossing her a quick, unreadable glance. "I've got stuff to do. Knock yourself out." "Alright, cool," Julie said, her voice dripping with a smug vibe she didn't even try to hide. "But, like, you've been gone from the Wright family for ages. "Now that you're back, shouldn't you, y'know, get out and schmooze a bit? How else you gonna roll with Dad at those swanky galas?" 'Dropping the nice act already?' Eden thought, arching an eyebrow. Julie was quicker to show her claws than she'd figured. Eden wasn't in the mood to play along. She shot Julie a cool look. "Oh, yeah? "Let's not forget-when I was born, Dad signed over two-thirds of his fortune to me. You? You weren't even on the scene yet." Julie's face twisted-shock, anger, then red-hot embarrassment. She didn't have a comeback. Because it was true. All these years, Raymond hadn't let go of his first wife. Even Eden, who wasn't his bio kid, still had a huge chunk of his estate locked down for her. Julie's mom, Celia, had been by his side for years, but he hadn't touched that contract. If Eden's grandma Olivia hadn't pushed, the third set aside for Julie's brother might've gone to Eden, too. Julie and Celia had been playing the waiting game, hoping he'd eventually come around. No way he'd keep his money tied up for someone who'd never show. But then Eden did show. All their scheming? Total bust. Julie couldn't help it-she had to prove she could hold her own against Eden. Her hands clenched, then loosened. She flashed a tight, fake smile. "Fine. I'll let you do your thing." As Julie turned and strutted off, Eden pulled out her phone and dialed. "Eden?" The voice on the other end was all excitement, speaking in Theonian. "Josie said you're back in Drea City?" "Just here to catch up with some old buds," Eden said, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Inglow Club, Drea City. Six tonight. Don't be late." She came from a rich family but got switched with the maid's daughter years ago. The fake heiress found out and started causing trouble, even trying to take the man she loved. Just as the real heiress...