Chapter 1: The Reckoning at Magnolia Street

The third year after I faked my death, I thought my story had finally ended. Spring rain tapped against the window, making the world feel almost peaceful for once—like even the ghosts of Magnolia Street might finally rest.

But that illusion shattered the instant I opened my front door—and found myself staring down a wall of knives, all flashing cold under the porch light. The glint of steel caught my eye, and my stomach dropped. Fear washed over me, sharp and sobering, clearing the last traces of bourbon from my veins.

The main guy, the one I once stabbed, turned around, flashing a chilling grin. "Long time no see, sis."

My throat closed up. I remembered the look in his eyes the night I left him bleeding—like a promise he’d never let me forget. My skin prickled, every instinct screaming to run, but my legs wouldn’t move. Instinctively, I took a few steps back—only to be stopped by a hand.

Trembling, I turned my head. It was Derek—my ex-fiancé. The last time he touched me, it was to pull away. Now his grip was iron, and his eyes said he’d never forgiven me.

Standing beside him was the leading lady herself—Rachel, whose reputation I’d once trashed without a second thought.

Rachel glared at me, her teeth clenched, voice laced with venom. "You never change, do you? Still the same selfish witch."

The hallway was thick with tension, the kind that makes your skin crawl. I could practically hear my own pulse pounding in my ears as they boxed me in.