Chapter 17

Isabelle had been living in the small town of Genevera for three months now. She had grown accustomed to life here and gradually built friendly relationships with the neighbors. Jeremy, the man who had greeted her that first day, was from Omberville. He had moved here with his mother after her second marriage and had a younger half-sister, Emily Wade, who was mixed-race. Emily was ten years old. She had a fair complexion and two charming dimples that appeared whenever she smiled. She loved the violin. Whenever she heard Isabelle play, her face lit up in wonder. Eventually, Isabelle began giving her lessons, and Jeremy started using that time as an excuse to stay close by and keep them company. The way Jeremy looked at Isabelle grew more complicated over time. Sometimes, he would space out while watching her. Whenever Isabelle caught him staring, he would scratch his head awkwardly and mumble some excuse before slipping away. Jeremy was the complete opposite of Noah. He was full o