Skye stared aimlessly out her bedroom window.

She gazed at the front lawn, her black eyes wider than usual. They took in everything and nothing at the same time. None of what she saw belonged to her. She never had a right to them. She had been a guest from the start.

Her undereye had darkened. It resembled a bruise because of the purple hue. The household help cleaned out her things. She paid them no attention. Except for her visual sense, the rest focused on the weight on her ankle.

The rubber anklet wrapped around her skin. It wasn’t too tight or too loose. It had a small square compartment for the main chip. It had a small green LED light, indicating it was turned on. Thin wires circulated inside the rubber and connected to the chip.

If removed without authorization, it would alarm.

“Miss, it is time to leave” the Head Butler called out from the doorway.

Skye peeled off her gaze from the front lawn. She would see it again as she left the premises. The tracker didn’t clatter while she walked. Her maroon skirt swayed beneath her knees. She couldn’t wear any of her pants since they clung to her legs. She needed a straight cut one for the anklet.

Her steps halted when she exited the room.

“Did my stepbrother come to say goodbye?” She asked, “How touching.”

Hands in his pockets, Neal leaned against the baluster. He still wore his school uniform of white and navy blue. His classes ended about about an hour ago. His turquoise eyes had watched over the servants until his stepsister came out.

He sighed through his nose and shifted his weight to his feet, “Father told me to supervise. You aren’t allowed to take anything that you didn’t own.”

Skye locked her jaw, keeping her smile in place. Did they treat her like a criminal now? Or had they always been wary of her because of her past? They had welcomed her in the beginning but she later learned that it was all a façade.

It seemed like they didn’t try anymore.

“Then, thank you for your time,” she decided to say. She headed for the staircase. The father-son duo must have been elated to see her leave. They already received what they wanted from her.

The compensation of the trial.

“You’re lucky you got off lightly” Neal expressed from where he stood, “If Alexandra hadn’t broken the law—”

“This is light?!” Skye exclaimed. She whirled around and pointed to the anklet, “I can’t think of anything worse than being unable to touch the nice things in front of you. It’s like dangling a cheese cube while the mouse is tied up.”

Oh, she would stay in the summer house which was much more comfortable than jail but other than what was handed to her, she couldn’t touch anything. She couldn’t go anywhere without an escort. Any visitor would need legal permission before they could see her. She wouldn’t have anyone to talk to other than her therapist.

The rest had been forbidden to interact with her.

Why the hell did she even need therapy? How could her mother give in to that bullshit story? Her nails dug into her palms. She knew that it was for them to lessen her sentence but she didn’t find it pleasant.

Neal scowled, “So you’d rather spend time in jail?”

“At least, I’d have someone to talk to.”

“With your kind, yes?”

“Oho,” Skye scoffed. She placed a hand on her chest. She stalked towards him, “That’s rich coming from you. Don’t act like you didn’t use me for your family’s gain. You saw an opportunity and swiped it. It wouldn’t even have happened if it weren’t for me.”

She clapped her hands slowly, her lips pursed together. Her black eyes glinted like a new handgun. They shot bullets on her stepbrother’s poker face. How dare he treat her like they didn’t even owe her? If it hadn’t been for her schemes, they wouldn’t have known about an unforeseen problem.

Not once did they even thank her for it.

They only saw where she failed.

“How about doing me one favor?” She giggled, “Can you greet Alexandra for me when you see her?”

“I decline.”

The rejection came out immediate and curt. Clicking her tongue, she didn’t attempt again and spun on her heel. She waved a hand over her shoulder, “I hope you keep the bargain in mind.”

Neal averted his gaze after she walked out to the porch.

He would never have to see her again.

Snapping his fingers, he called out, “Gabriel.”

“Yes, Young Master?” the Head Butler stepped away from Skye’s old room. He bowed to the waist and waited for his orders. He stood a foot behind Neal.

Turquoise eyes glared at the front door. They crystallized from disdain, “Report to me all of my stepsister’s movements. You shall inform me even if you already relayed the information to my father. I don’t want to leave anything to chance. She cannot cause more trouble for us. Understood?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Neal walked in the opposite direction of the main staircase. He used the connecting pathway at the end. It led him to the other side of the second floor where his room was located. He pulled off the tie on his neck and hung it on a coat rack. He did the same for the cream blazer.

He undid three buttons of his dress shirt and headed for his study table.

A book had been placed on his laptop.

He opened his mouth to scold the servants but thought better of it. He recognized the green leather bound cover. It had worn out in time along with its gold engraving. Before he knew it, he had picked it up. The pages had yellowed on the edges. The paper felt rough and crisp between his fingers.

It contained the story about a group of three friends, two boys and one girl. They set out for an adventure where they learned to work together and achieve their potential. It had kept him up late. He couldn’t sleep even if he tried. He couldn’t get the story out of his mind.

Next thing he knew, he had finished it after the sun had risen.

It had been a simple time. He didn’t bear any responsibility yet as his father’s successor.

“You read that too?” A girl’s voice echoed in his head. His hands froze halfway through browsing. It came with a pair of stunning gray eyes.

“Isn’t it amazing?” She continued, “The main character is so funny!”

He shut the book close and put it to the side. His head immediately became quiet.

Turning on his laptop, he sat down and focused back on important matters. The screen lit up. It greeted him with the numeration data about the stock market. He had been tasked to invest and to double the amount through the returns. If he passed this test then, he could finally work inside his father’s company.

It didn’t take long for Neal to forget about the book. He no longer questioned why it was on his study table. He had hidden it for good reason. It held too many memories for him to attend to. After all, what happened already happened.

The past needed to stay in the past.

The future needed his attention more.