Nora stood outside the creaky, old wooden house that had been her home for the last ten years. Her hands, gripping her backpack straps, were stiff from the cold wind that cut through the empty streets. Her heart felt heavy, as though it had been anchored to the ground beneath her feet, and yet her legs refused to move. The house behind her loomed, its windows dark and unforgiving, but it no longer felt like home.
The door slammed behind her, and Nora flinched. Estonia's voice had been loud, sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.
"You're old enough to fend for yourself now, Nora. Don't come back until you've figured it out."
It had been a long time since she'd felt truly wanted here. Estonia, her stepmother, had never really cared for her—at least not in the way a mother should. But this was different. This time, Estonia wasn't just distant. She was angry, cold, and unforgiving.
Nora bit her lip, fighting the sting of tears threatening to break free. She refused to cry. She wasn't a little girl anymore.
Her father, who had always been a shadow in her life, hadn't even been there to argue. Nora couldn't remember the last time he had truly looked at her—really looked at her. It had always been Estonia's voice, Estonia's rules. Now, she was alone.
The past eighteen years hadn't been easy. She'd worked harder than most kids her age. No one had ever helped with school fees, books, or uniforms. It was always Nora and the empty promise that one day she'd get the chance to make something of herself. She did it on her own—primary school, secondary school—everything. But law school, her dream, felt like an impossible mountain to climb when she had nothing but a part-time job as a waitress at The Diner on Main Street.
That job? It barely paid enough to cover half her bus fare.
The sky above her was overcast, gray clouds swirling like her thoughts. She had nowhere to go—not yet, anyway. She didn't want to stay at a shelter, not when she could still remember the warmth of a real home—if only for a brief moment.
She turned, walking toward the main road, feeling her way forward with every step.
As if on cue, her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a message from Steve, the garden boy her stepmother had insisted she marry.
"Still love you, Nora. If you change your mind, let me know."
She scoffed, ignoring the message. Marriage to Steve had never been an option. The idea of tying herself to a life that wasn't hers—being someone's possession—felt suffocating. And Estonia's anger at her refusal had been the last straw. But the alternative wasn't much better.
Nora glanced around, feeling the loneliness close in. And then, from the corner of her eye, she saw something.
A sleek black car pulled up beside her. It was an unfamiliar vehicle, something expensive-looking, polished, and smooth. The passenger window rolled down, and a woman's voice called out.
"Are you okay, dear?"
Nora hesitated, looking at the stranger, unsure if she could trust her.
The woman smiled gently, her eyes warm. "You look like you need a ride."
Nora glanced around. There was no one else in sight. She had no plan, no options. She could barely even remember the last time someone had asked if she was okay.
"Who are you?" she asked cautiously.
"My name's Kay Jameson. My husband and I saw you standing here. Are you lost?"
Nora hesitated again, but something in Kay's eyes told her that maybe, just maybe, this could be the opportunity she needed. She'd heard of the Jamesons—their wealth, their status. People in town whispered about them, about how they had everything.
"I… I'm not lost," Nora said, forcing a small smile. "Just… trying to figure things out."
Kay nodded, as though she understood. "Sometimes, things don't go as planned. Come with me. I'll take you somewhere warm, and we can talk."
Nora stood still for a moment, torn between the voice in her head telling her to be careful and the part of her that longed for something more. Finally, she nodded and opened the door to the car, settling into the plush seat. It smelled like fresh leather, expensive cologne, and something comforting—like a chance at something better.
As the car drove away from the house that had been her prison for too long, Nora's mind raced. She had no idea where this would lead, but one thing was certain: her life was about to change in ways she couldn't yet understand.