Bitter Welcome

Vivienne’s POV

I froze on the staircase, my hand gripping the banister so tightly that my knuckles ached. Martha’s words kept circling in my head like a bell that wouldn’t stop ringing, Mr. Sokolov is back home.

Back. Here.

In this house.

I must have looked strange because Martha tilted her head and asked softly, almost cautiously, “Is everything all right, ma’am?”

The sound of her voice startled