Chapter 78

Elsie picked a day after work to bring Olivia and Sophia over to the house in Pinecloud Bay. It had been a while since she last came, and the place felt way emptier than she remembered. As soon as they stepped in, Olivia dashed upstairs to the walk-in closet like she was on a mission—grabbing bags as if she were raiding the place. First time here, Sophia was bubbling with excitement, running around, checking everything out. “This house is gorgeous! Way better taste than my dad, for sure!” “I love this flooring color!” “And look at that light! I want one just like it!” William had designed the whole place himself. Every single light fixture was custom-made and one of a kind. That giant crystal chandelier hanging in the sunken living room? Pure glam—like a starry galaxy twinkling above. There was even one light on the wall that looked like a mermaid’s glittering tail. Sophia pointed at it. “I wanna take this home!” Elsie wasn’t expecting that. She looked up at the wires hanging from the