The drive to the Frasher Estate was silent, the weight of the day's events pressing heavily on both Kaye and Jae. The setting sun cast long shadows over the road, adding to the somber mood. Kaye’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, her discovery at the orphanage gnawing at her. She glanced at Jae, who was focused on the road, his expression unreadable.
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As they approached the grand gates of the Frasher Estate, Kaye felt a mix of relief and trepidation. The wrought-iron gates creaked open, revealing the manicured gardens and the imposing mansion beyond. She needed to share what she had seen with Stasi, but the uncertainty of what lay ahead made her anxious. Jae pulled the car to a stop, and Kaye turned to him, her eyes reflecting her inner turmoil.
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"Thank you for today, Jae." she said, her voice tinged with a mixture of gratitude and exhaustion.
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Jae managed a small smile, though his eyes betrayed his concern. "Hey, whatever it is, I hope you figure it out."
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Kaye nodded, her heart heavy with unspoken words. She stepped out of the car, feeling the cool evening air on her skin as she made her way up the stone pathway to the imposing front door of the estate. The large oak doors creaked open, revealing Stasi standing in the entryway.
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"Kaye! You’re here," Stasi exclaimed, her expression a mix of surprise and worry. "What’s so urgent that you couldn’t tell me on the phone?"
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Kaye followed Stasi into the grand foyer, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the marble floors. The scent of polished wood and fresh flowers filled the air, but Kaye couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that had settled over her. As they entered the cozy sitting room, Stasi closed the door behind them, her eyes fixed on Kaye.
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"What happened today?" Stasi asked, her tone urgent. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
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Kaye took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "I saw her, Stasi. The woman from the warehouse. She was at the orphanage, being led away by one of the house mothers. It was like they were hiding her and now I’m wondering if the others are there as well. What is going on?"
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Stasi's eyes widened in shock. "Are you sure it was her? Kaye, are you certain that this isn’t a figment of the trauma of that night. Why would those women be there?"
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Kaye nodded, her voice trembling. "I’m sure. We need to figure out what’s going on. I can’t ignore this, Stasi. We have to do something." The desperation in her eyes was the reason Stasi believed her.
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Stasi's expression hardened with determination. "You’re right. We can’t let this go. But we need to be smart about this."
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Kaye felt a flicker of hope amidst her anxiety. Having Stasi by her side made her feel stronger, more capable of facing whatever lay ahead but this matter was urgent, she needed things to be done now. "We have to go there tonight, are you with me?"
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Stasi gave her a reassuring smile. "We’re in this together, Kaye. We’ll get to the bottom of this, I promise but going there without a plan, is dangerous. What if we get caught, we don’t even know the layout of the orphanage or who is connected to that place. We could be walking into immense danger."
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“I don’t care. We need to get those women out of there, who knows what they have endured by now. It has to be tonight, or I go to the sheriff and ask him instead.”
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Stasi grew frustrated, unable to contain her friend’s boldness, “You could ruin everything, who knows if the sheriff isn’t involved in all of this. What if he is and take you directly to the person in charge, you wouldn’t be able to help them than.”
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Kaye knew the path ahead would be fraught with danger and uncertainty, but she also knew she had a loyal friend by her side, ready to face whatever challenges came their way. “Okay, maybe you’re right. I met a girl in Lake View today, her name’s Thalita. Maybe she could help us.”
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“Thalita Granger? Are you crazy her dad went to prison for some serious fucked up shit. We shouldn’t get involved with someone like her.”
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Kayetana’s face turned blank at her friend’s audacity. “Isn’t that a bit hypocritical coming from you, Stasi? Her situation isn’t any different from ours, the only difference between her father and ours is the fact that hers doesn’t have the wealth and power to hide behind. Should I remind you that the warehouse where those women were trafficked to had direct ties to both of our dads. That seems pretty fucked up to me.”
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“We don’t know that for sure. Do you seriously believe that your dad and mine would do something like that to those poor women?” Stasi asked, still unsure whether she believed it or not.
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Kaye flopped down on the couch, “To be honest, Stasi, I don’t know anymore. All I know is that I have been in a position where I had to fight to stay alive… seeing those women, what they must be going through…”21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSawOCa8Lg
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It was the first time Stasi heard Kayetana open up about anything personal in her life, her heart thumbed at the worst thought.
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Kaye stands up, and calls for an uber, determined to do the right thing. “If you don’t want her help, I’ll take care of this myself. Hide behind your high walls and opulent mansion, I’ll do what is right.” Kaye leaves Stasi to her own thoughts.
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Stasi looked around at her house, guilt of her ignorance flushing through her. Kaye’s words were true, the Frasher Estate felt like a fortress protecting her from the outside world. Ever since meeting Kaye, she was pushed to the brink of her own morals and she constantly found herself questioning her empathy. She loved being challenged, but she hated the dire feeling of disappointment setting in forged by her own guilt. Knowing she would be able to steer away from doing the right thing, she took her car keys and followed Kaye, glad to find her in standing outside the gates of the Frasher Estate.
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The hum of the diner’s fluorescent lights and the clinking of cutlery filled the air as Thalita wiped down the counter. It was late, and the usual dinner rush had long since passed. Her thoughts wandered back to the events of the day, particularly her encounter with Kaye Burchart. Thalita had been taken aback by Kaye’s genuine concern for Lake View and her strong sense of social justice.
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Kaye's willingness to stand up for her at the homeless shelter and her determination to make a difference had left a lasting impression on Thalita. It was rare to meet someone from the elite circles who genuinely cared about the struggles of people like her. Thalita couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of admiration for Kaye.
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As she reflected on the day, Thalita's thoughts drifted to Wiley. Kaye had mentioned his determination to provide jobs for the people of Lake View, something that Thalita knew was a result of their deal. Hesitant but curious, Thalita pulled out her phone and opened MyPage. After a moment of deliberation, she decided to follow Wiley and sent him a wave emoji.
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She put her phone back in her pocket, feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety. The sound of a car pulling up in the parking lot drew her attention. Thalita glanced out the window and sighed. A white car had just parked, and the thought of serving customers just before closing time was annoying.
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Reluctantly, Thalita prepared to greet the late arrivals. As the doorbell jingled, signaling the entrance of the new customers, Thalita was surprised to see Kaye and Stasi step through the doors. Just then, her phone pinged with a notification. Wiley had replied to her message, but Thalita decided to ignore it for the moment, focusing on the unexpected visit.
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“Kaye, what brings you here at this hour?” Thalita asked, masking her surprise with a welcoming smile.
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As Kaye sat down at the counter, Stasi shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her eyes flicking nervously between Kaye and Thalita. She bit her lip, clearly reluctant to include Thalita in their plans.
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Kaye looked around the nearly empty diner before meeting Thalita’s gaze. “Well, I had a couple of questions about the orphanage up the hill.”
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Thalita’s curiosity piqued. “Serenity Sanctuary? What do you need to know?”
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As they sat in one of the diner booths, Kaye’s expression grew serious. She passed her gaze between Stasi and Thalita. “Do you do volunteer work there as well?”
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A frown spread across Thalita’s face. She found it odd how suddenly Bloomfields elite was lurking around Lake View with so many questions. “No, actually. Ms. Vandemore, the director, is very specific about who she wants as volunteers there. She’s always been a strange woman, but one thing she is very persistent on keeping those kids safe. When the fires broke out at the orphanages in Riverton a few months back, she even took in most of the children who survived the horror.”
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Stasi looked at Kaye in suspicion, her concerns not going unnoticed by Thalita. “Why do you ask?”
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Kaye hesitated, her heart pounding, but before she could manage any words, the couple who had been eating their dinner at the far end of the diner, appeared behind them. They paid for their meal, then left the diner. Thalita went after them, locking the glass door and turning the open sign to closed.
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“We’re all alone, now you can tell me what this is really about.” She folded her arms across her chest, challenging the girls that passed uncomfortable glances at each other.
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“This was a mistake. We shouldn’t have come here.” Stasi urged, nervous to take the conversation any further. Her moral compass was faltering, and she simply didn’t know if she was able to trust Thalita.
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“Stasi, wait!” Kaye grabbed Stasi by the arm before she could leave, pulling her to the side and leaning in to whisper, “We have to follow through with this. We can’t just leave now.”
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“I don’t trust her, Kayetana. She clearly won’t tell us if something strange was happening there.”
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Thalita cleared her throat, “I can still hear you,” she informed them. “But I get it, really. Something happened there, didn’t it?”
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The girls’ eyes looked at Thalita in shock. “I knew it,” Thalita muttered, sliding into a booth, her eyes darting wildly as her mind conjured memories from her time living there. “They said I was crazy, got me into a foster home so quickly that it still doesn’t make sense to this day.”
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Stasi exchanged a nervous glance with Kaye before speaking up. “So, what exactly did you see?”
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Thalita took a deep breath, the memories clearly painful. “There were strange things happening at night. Shadows that moved where they shouldn’t, whispers that echoed through the halls. And then there were the children... some of them disappeared without a trace, then Ms. Vandemore claimed that they were adopted when no one ever came by for adoption. I remember asking her how come, these adoptions only happen at night, she told me not to be nosy but I was just a kid. When my friend, Lilly got ‘adopted’ I was miserable, and I found it really strange because all of her things were still there, even this.”
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Thalita stood up, went behind the counter and returned placing a ruby necklace on the table in front of the girls. “This was her mothers, a family heirloom, Lilly aways wore it, she was scared that someone would steal it, but I found this the next day behind the orphanage, by the old sewers.”
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A mixture of shock and fear rushed through both Kaye and Stasi. Trying to make sense of this situation, was leading to more danger than they could have ever imagined. Stasi, looked closer at the necklace, took it and held it under the light. She was shocked as the realization sank in, “Wait, Kayetana, look at this.”
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As Kayetana leaned in closer, her body tensed, running cold. “That’s the Starling family crest.” her voice barely above a whisper.
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Kaye's heart raced as the implications of Thalita's words sank in. She exchanged a worried glance with Stasi, whose face had gone pale.
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"Thalita," Stasi said, her voice trembling, "do you think Lilly was...?"
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Thalita cut her off, her eyes blazing with intensity. "I don't just think it, I know it. Those kids did not get adopted; they vanished. And Ms. Vandemore is behind it."
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Stasi clutched the necklace tighter, her knuckles turning white. "This crest... It belongs to the Starling family. Do you think Lilly was related to Jae Starling?"
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A moment of horror hung in the air as the girls considered the possibility. "Why would someone of the Starling family be send off to live in an orphanage, when across town, their prominent family prospers in wealth and power? This does not make any sense to me.”
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“Did Lilly ever tell you who her family was. Was her mother a Starling?” Kaye urged, desperate to know.
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“I don’t think she was, she always said, they were poor, but she never wanted to reveal who her father was, claiming that he was the one who had murdered her mother, and she was terrified that he would find her. Her name was Lillith Ivanhoe.”
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The horror never escaped the girl, Stasi took the necklace and showed the crest to Thalita. “That was is the Starling family crest, every piece of their jewellery, is embroidered with the exact crest.”
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“Do you think her dad was from the Starling family? Perhaps he had given it to her mother before he killed her, than hunted down Lilly and took her?” Kaye speculated, horrified at the thought.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7uEjTL1nC
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“But what if,” Stasi’s voice trembled, her heart racing at the thought of her next words, “What if the Starlings have something to do with what happened at the warehouse or what you saw at the orphanage and even the missing children?”
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The girls' minds raced as the gravity of their discoveries settled over them. Kaye's thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and fear, but one thing was clear: the Starlings were the prime suspects, intricately linked to the horrors at Serenity Sanctuary and Riverton. She clenched her fists, her resolve solidifying. "We can't ignore this. We need to find out the truth about the Starlings and their connection to all of this."
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Thalita nodded, her expression a mix of determination and dread. "You're right. We have to dig deeper, but we need to be careful. If they find out we're onto them, we could be next."
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As the three girls sat in the dimly lit diner, the weight of their mission pressing down on them, a silent agreement formed. They would uncover the secrets buried in the shadows, no matter the cost. The flickering neon sign outside cast eerie shadows on their faces, a stark reminder of the dangers that lay ahead. Their journey into the unknown had only just begun, and there was no turning back now.
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