Chapter 231

As she spoke, Jessica Lane tiptoed to grab the attic ladder, yanked it down, and climbed up with a few swift steps, pushing the attic door open. "So? Is there a small bed in there? And an old bookshelf, maybe?" Alice Sterling stood on the balcony below, looking up anxiously as she asked. After a moment, a puzzled voice came from inside. "It’s just a storage space… no bed at all." Hearing that, Alice frowned hard. Her hands clenched into fists. She took a couple of deep breaths, trying to rein it in, and then climbed the ladder herself. The attic was low and narrow—you could see the whole space at a glance. Alice, halfway up the ladder, only needed one look inside to feel her heart sink. It was packed with random junk. Nothing at all like how she remembered. She inhaled slowly, forcing calm, and then climbed back down with Jessica. Back in the living room, Jessica still looked baffled. "I mean, it’s an attic… of course it’s for storage. Why’s that weird?" "It’s not that simple." Alice s