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“And why would I do that?”

She lifted a hand, gesturing toward herself. “Because I’m home?”

“Yes, but I need someone who is going to stay.” He placed his empty mug down. “And it sounds like you’re still not sure what you want.”

“But why waste the money on a salary when you don’t have to? You said it yourself; Freya loves her numbers. Do the math.”

Otto shook his head. “I’m not leaving Leo high and dry. He is here. He is part of this. He has become family.”

Alana scoffed, disbelieving. Her father was choosing this man over her. Had she come home for nothing? “Do you not want me in the fields?”

He reached for her hand and squeezed. “Of course I do. It means we have to find some new systems. I would love it if the two of you could work together. I think there’s a lot you can learn from each other.”

She filled her cheeks with air, then blew it out slowly. Find new systems. Work together. Despite everything, her father was inviting her back home with open arms. She had her strong opinions, but she would never undermine his authority. She respected Otto Marien far too much.

As for this Leo…he had yet to earn her respect. And if he so happened to find that he didn’t like working here with his new coworker and decided to leave, well, that wouldn’t be on her, now would it?

3

Everything in her bedroom was exactly as she’d left it.

Alana gnawed at her thumbnail and scanned her closet. Every single piece of clothing belonged to a former version of her that no longer existed. Bold-patterned dresses, bright flowy blouses, clothes that reminded her she’d once had a colorful, cheerful life. She didn’t have the heart to put any of it on.

She rummaged through her dresser instead, pulling out a faded pair of jeans and one of her many Marien shirts. Otto said she could return to the fields, so she intended on returning to them as soon as humanly possible.

She threaded her wet hair into a messy braid as she made her way down the steps and to a full coffee pot. She was opening the cabinet to grab a mug when she heard them.

“I can’t believe you let her waltz right in here like nothing happened,” Freya snapped.

Alana leaned over the sink to get a closer look out the open window. Otto stood opposite her sister on the patio, her back facing the window. Alana righted herself so they couldn’t see her.

“She’s our family, darling,” Otto defended. “I spent the last three years worrying for her. I want her home.”

“So that justifies everything she did?”

“Of course not.”

Freya growled. “And you’ll just, what? Let her go back to working here and pretend like everything is back to normal? Because nothing is normal, Papa. It will never be the same.”

“I know that,” he replied calmly. “I spoke with her last night. I made my intentions clear.”

“Oh, and so everything is fixed now?” The tone of her sister’s voice cut like a serrated knife. “Did she do it?”

Otto’s sigh was heavy. “Do what?”

“Steal Mom’s ring?”

Alana clenched her jaw.

“I-I don’t know.”

“You didn’t ask?”

“Of course not.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “She only just got home. It didn’t seem right to throw that at her right away.”

“Throw it at her?” Freya was also attempting to keep her voice low, but her shrill tone still managed to slice through Alana’s heart. “She stole mom’s ring from her death bed, spends three years doing god knows what, and is allowed to return like none of it matters. Is that what this is now? Does our family and our legacy mean absolutely nothing to all of you?”

She couldn’t listen to them anymore. She left her empty mug on the counter and walked back up the stairs.