Chapter 1

Sarah Miller felt a deep sense of satisfaction as she placed the last box on the kitchen counter. The small apartment smelled of fresh paint and new beginnings. This was it, the launching pad for her daughter, Emily. A safe space near the university, a place where Emily could study and grow into the amazing woman Sarah knew she would become.

"It's perfect, Mom," Emily said, her voice filled with an excitement that made Sarah's heart swell. "I can't believe it. It's really mine."

"It's all yours, sweetheart," Sarah replied, pulling her daughter into a tight hug. "You've earned this. Straight A's, scholarships... you did all the hard work. I just signed the lease."

Emily looked around the sunny living room, her eyes wide. "Ashley is going to freak out when she sees it. She'll be so happy for me."

"I'm glad she'll be here with you for a few nights," Sarah said, trying to keep her tone neutral. "It's good not to be alone your first week."

Sarah had met Ashley Green a few times. She seemed like a sweet girl, always polite, always praising Emily. But there was something in her eyes, a flicker of something Sarah couldn't quite name, that kept her from fully trusting the girl. Still, she was Emily's best friend, and Emily was a poor judge of character, always seeing the best in everyone. Sarah decided to trust her daughter's judgment, for now.

That feeling of peace lasted exactly three days.

Sarah was in the middle of negotiating a parts deal at the auto shop she managed when her phone buzzed. It was Emily.

"Hey, honey, is everything okay?" Sarah asked, stepping away from the noise of the garage.

The only answer was a choked sob.

"Emily? Emily, talk to me. What's wrong?" Sarah' s blood ran cold.

"Mom," Emily's voice was a ragged whisper, broken by gasps for air. "I don't know what to do. They won't leave."

"Who won't leave? Emily, slow down. Tell me what happened."

"Ashley... her family. They're all here. Her mom, her brother... they just showed up two days ago. They're sleeping on the floor, on my couch. They ate all my food. Her brother... he..." She broke down again, unable to finish the sentence.

A cold, hard anger started to build in Sarah' s chest. "Her brother did what, Emily?"

"He came into my room last night, Mom. He didn't do anything, but he sat on my bed and just... watched me. He said creepy things. I was so scared. I locked myself in the bathroom. When I told Ashley, she just said he was joking."

"Where are you now?" Sarah's voice was dangerously calm.

"I'm at the library on campus. I was afraid to go back."

"Stay there. I'm on my way to the apartment. I'll call you when it's safe to come home."

"Mom, please don't make a scene. Ashley's mom, she's... she's loud."

"Don't you worry about a thing, sweetheart," Sarah said, her knuckles white as she gripped the phone. "I'll handle it."

Twenty minutes later, Sarah stood in front of the apartment door. She could hear loud music and shouting from inside. She took a deep breath, unlocked the door, and walked in.

The smell of stale cigarette smoke and greasy food hit her first. The living room, once pristine, was a disaster zone. Dirty clothes were thrown over the new furniture, empty takeout containers littered the coffee table, and three large, overflowing trash bags sat by the door. A woman with a hard face and messy blonde hair was yelling at a video game on the TV. A lanky young man with a smug look was lounging on Emily's armchair, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips.

"Excuse me," Sarah said, her voice cutting through the noise. The music was turned down.

The woman turned, looking Sarah up and down with disdain. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the person who pays the rent," Sarah said flatly. "And you are?"

Before the woman could answer, Ashley came rushing out of Emily's bedroom.

"Mrs. Miller! Oh my God, I'm so sorry about the mess. We were just about to clean up." She ran over to Sarah, her face a mask of frantic concern. "Is Emily okay? I was so worried about her. She just ran out this morning."

Sarah looked past Ashley, her eyes locking onto the brother. He smirked at her. "Yeah, your girl is a little high-strung, ain't she? Can't take a joke."

That was the spark.

All of Sarah' s forced calm evaporated. Before anyone could react, she crossed the room in three quick strides. Her hand came up and connected with the brother's face in a slap so loud it echoed in the small room. The cigarette flew from his mouth, landing on the carpet.

"Get up," Sarah commanded, her voice low and menacing.

The young man stared at her, stunned, a red handprint blooming on his cheek.

"I said, get up!"

He scrambled to his feet, a mixture of shock and anger on his face. "You crazy bitch! You can't hit me!"

"You watch your mouth," Sarah snarled, stepping closer.

"Mom!" the brother yelled, looking at the woman on the couch.

Ashley's mother shot up from the couch, her face contorted in rage. "You hit my son! Who do you think you are?" She lunged at Sarah, hands outstretched like claws.

Sarah sidestepped her easily, grabbing the woman's wrist and twisting it behind her back. The woman shrieked in pain. The brother moved to intervene, but Sarah kicked his shin hard, making him howl and stumble back.

"Get your trash and get out of my daughter's apartment," Sarah said, her voice like ice. "All of you. Now."

Ashley was crying, pulling at Sarah's arm. "Please, Mrs. Miller, stop! We'll leave, I promise!"

The chaos was absolute. The mother was screaming obscenities, the brother was hopping on one foot, and Ashley was pleading. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door.

"Police! Open up!"

Someone had called the cops. A moment later, two officers were in the apartment, their faces grim as they took in the scene. One of them, a tall, tired-looking man with a name-tag that read "Jones," stepped forward.

"Alright, what's going on here?"

Before anyone could answer, Sarah released the mother' s wrist. As the woman stumbled away, nursing her arm, Sarah turned to Ashley. She grabbed the girl' s upper arm, her grip like iron.

"You," she whispered, her voice a venomous hiss that only Ashley could hear. "You brought this into my daughter's life. This is not over. I will make you regret the day you ever met her."

Ashley' s fake tears turned real. She looked at Sarah, her eyes wide with genuine fear.