CHAPTER 74: PLEASE HELP ME
VENUS:
Margaret's lips parted, and for a moment, I thought she might bang the door on our faces. But instead, she stepped aside and murmured, “Come in.”
Maxine followed close behind me as we entered the house. The living room was dark and cold, despite the sun outside.
The curtains were drawn, and there was a thick layer of dust on some of the furniture. The coffee table still had the old photo frames—except now they were turned face-down.
Maxine sat down calmly but didn’t let go of my hand.
I glanced around. “Is Uncle Raymond home?”
She hesitated. “He’s… not home.”
That was a lie. A bold, poorly delivered lie.
I tilted my head slightly. “Yes, he is.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? Where did you learn to challenge me?”
“This is not about chall
