Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
She doesn’t know she’s already talking to Sarang. And I didn’t know she was the reason Sue found me in Willingsworth. There’s just no such thing as privacy or secrecy in the AGN—
—which is what I’m counting on.
“No, thank you, Mrs. Choi. This isn’t about Sarang, and it’s not about the funeral,” I said. “It can’t be when the investigation into my mother’s murder isn’t over.”
She frowned. “Oh?”
“The person they’ve arrested, Courtney Thorne, didn’t do it. The police have the wrong person, and I need to make them see that.”
Her frown deepened. “But how can you say that, Soo? She was found with the murder weapon. Also, your mother told me all about that Courtney girl.” She tsked. “Did you know she was a friend of Sarang’s when she went to that fancy prep school on the other side of town? I say friend,” she whispered, dropping her voice as gossip mode activated. “But her bad influence would be a more appropriate description.
“Your mother was certain that girl led your sister astray—dragging Sarang into parties, drugs, and boys until her grades fell.”
Grades fell? I had a 4.2 GPA!
“She turned Sarang all the way around until when she finally tried to get on the right track, it was too late and that boy had already stolen the valedictorian spot from her. And then...” She trailed off, shaking her head. “Well, you know what she did to try to get it back.”
My free hand tightened under the table, gripping my recording phone hard. So this was the lie my mother spread through the network? Blaming everything on my best friend in the world because she refused to believe the real monster was right under her roof.
“Well, it turned out it wasn’t like that,” I said when my anger cooled. “Courtney was and is a good person—”
“No, no, no,” she hissed, leaning in and patting my hand with a get this? look on her face. “You know that Melinda Thorne—a complete gossip and whore till the bitter end. She was forever bragging about her perfect, wonderful daughter, Courtney, who got into Princeton while Sarang was expelled, and you went to community college. Heavens, she was so nasty with those ‘where did your daughters go to school again? Oh, that’s right, nowhere’ comments. All because your mother held the Coats for Kids charity dinner on the same night as her Save the Owls auction—and everyone went to our event instead of hers.”
My brows popped. “Yikes. I had no idea things used to be so bad between Omma and Mrs. Thorne.”
She scoffed. “Make that Ms. Llewellyn. The nerve of that slut—attacking your mother and her children while her own husband was divorcing her for sleeping around, and her daughter wasn’t anywhere near Princeton. She was halfway around the world learning how to pick up STDs and surprise babies just like her mommy dearest. Did you know that Courtney girl has a daughter?” Mrs. Choi smiled that little, malicious smile shared by everyone who got sick enjoyment out of feeling superior over others. “Apparently, she’s got no idea who the father is. Everyone was talking about it at the baby shower.” She sniffed. “I tell you this, Ms. Llewellyn hasn’t had a peep to say about you, Sarang, or your mother since then.”
“That’s... good,” I forced out. What I really wanted to do was tell her off, but I couldn’t. Opening up about the people who hated Omma was exactly what I needed her to do. I just wished she could do it without trashing my closest friend. “And I guess Ms. Llewellyn must’ve epically freaked out when I posted all over my socials that Courtney was in Paris, and then Omma told everyone else.”
She whistled. “Epically freaked out is putting it lightly. She rammed your mother’s car in the parking lot.”
“What!”
“Shh,” she hissed, flapping her hand—but that nasty smile widened. “Oh, yes, didn’t you know? That’s why your omma had to scrap the Ferrari. She totaled it and almost put your mother in the hospital. Didn’t your mother tell you this?”
I shook my head. “There was a lot Omma didn’t tell me. I guess kids never really know what’s going on in their parents’ lives.”
“Dae Sung sure doesn’t,” she scoffed. “I swear that boy’s fingers break every time he’s supposed to call his mother. Even now, my best friend was murdered and my own son can’t be bothered to pick up the phone.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Choi.”
“No, no, no,” she gruffed, waving that away. “Don’t you worry about comforting me. My loss is nothing compared to yours. It’s you I’m here for.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate that, and you really are helping me. Despite everything, I know Courtney didn’t do it, and the four of us are terrified knowing a murderer walked right into our home and is still on the loose. I mean, we’ve got Nari to think about.”