Chapter 51
Dawn had barely broken when the village bus stop was already crowded. The early bus was the only transportation to town—missing it meant a sixty-mile trek on foot through mountainous terrain.
Luna White adjusted her small bundle when she heard someone call her name.
"Luna, where are you off to so early?" Clara Clark approached, pulling her daughter Lily along, her face warm with a friendly smile.
"Auntie, I'm visiting my sister Iris in town," Luna said, lifting her bundle slightly. "And I need to send my brother Ethan a telegram about my university acceptance letter."
Clara's eyes lit up. "Oh, what wonderful news! Iris will be thrilled to see you. Tomorrow, I'll have George put up the honor roll so the whole village knows we've got a university student among us!"
Just then, Mayor George Clark lowered his voice. "Isn’t that Maya? Wrapped in a scarf in this heat, sneaking around like a thief."
Luna followed his gaze and spotted a figure in a floral scarf pushing onto the bus—Maya, unmistakable in her furtive movements.
"Maya!" Clara clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Where are you off to?"
Maya jumped, her face pale beneath the scarf. "I—I'm visiting Grandma..."
"If you're visiting family, why skulk around?" Clara teased.
Maya stammered, her eyes darting toward Luna. Then, as if struck by inspiration, she brightened.
"Luna, I heard you're visiting Iris?" Maya sidled closer, her smile artificial. "I haven’t seen her in ages. Why don’t we go together?"
Luna suppressed a cold laugh. After yesterday’s disgrace, Maya suddenly wanted to visit family? Clearly, she was plotting something.
"Sure," Luna agreed cheerfully. "Company on the road would be nice."
Clara nodded approvingly. "That’s more like family."
As the bus rumbled to life, Luna glimpsed Maya through the window, gripping her clothes with white-knuckled intensity, her gaze dark. Luna allowed herself a small smirk—if Maya wanted to play games, she’d play along.
Maya’s mind churned with venomous schemes. Once they reached Iris’s home, she’d expose Luna’s true origins in front of everyone. Let’s see if Iris would still dote on this bastard then!
Dust swirled behind the wheels as the two girls—each harboring their own secrets—set off on the same journey.