From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent

Tears streamed down Sandra's face, mingling with lines of blood that trickled from her eyes as she edged closer to Rebecca. Her
voice was raw, desperate. "But I'm your mother, Rebecca! Your own mother! How could you do this to me? Have you no
conscience left at all?"
Rebecca scrambled backward on the floor, palms pressed to the hardwood, cold sweat soaking her back. "Mom, please forgive
me... forgive me... I'm your only daughter, the only one you and Dad ever had..."
She'd been sure that Sandra would go to her grave never knowing what she'd done.
But fate had other plans.
Some secrets just couldn't be buried.
Sandra had found out everything.
"You'll pay for this! You wretched girl! I'll make you pay for my life!"
Rebecca was so terrified she started banging her head on the floor, her forehead thudding against the boards again and again
until blood began to stream down her face. "Mom! I know I was wrong! I really do! Please, just forgive me this once! When your
memorial day comes, I'll bring you so many flowers and candles! You're already gone just let me live! I promise, I'll find a way to
get Dad out soon. Please, spare me!"
Suddenly-snap!
Every light in the room blazed on at once.
Rebecca froze, then looked up.
Sandra stood before her, lifting a hand slowly to her own face.
Rebecca's eyes widened in horror as she watched Sandra peel away her own skin. Rebecca had expected something gruesome
beneath a ruined, bloody face.
But instead, the face revealed was striking, almost ethereal in its beauty.
It wasn't Sandra at all.

It was-
Anthea.
In that split second, Rebecca understood.
It was all a lie.
A setup.
Anthea was behind this.
That conniving bitch.
Anthea, that damned bitch!
"Anthea! It was you!" Rebecca sprang to her feet, glaring daggers at her.
Anthea just smiled, the corners of her lips curling up. "That's right, Rebecca. I
never imagined you'd go so far as to kill your own mother."
She'd suspected, but hearing it confirmed still left Anthea momentarily speechless.
Sandra had always been good to Rebecca.
She never thought Rebecca would actually go through with it.
"What are you talking about?" Rebecca's voice wavered, panic flickering in her eyes. "I don't know what you mean!"
She couldn't admit it.
She mustn't.
If she confessed, it was all over.
Rebecca forced herself to swallow her fear, pointing toward the door. "This is my house! Get out! Get out right now!"
Anthea pointed toward Sandra's memorial photo on the mantle. "Look. Over there."

Rebecca's gaze followed.
A tiny red light blinked from beside the photo frame.
A pinhole camera.
Anthea had planted a spy camera in her own home!
Rebecca's legs nearly buckled as she stumbled backward, that suffocating terror rising up to choke her again. "Anthea! What the
hell do you want from me?!"
Her eyes were wild and bloodshot as
Las
she glared at Anthea, all composure gone. You bitch! This is all your fault You're the one who ruined me! Why don't you just
die?!"
Anthea.
It was always Anthea.
If it hadn't been for her, Rebecca never would have ended up like this.
Anthea had stolen her life, seized everything that belonged to the Morris family, and destroyed it all.
If she was going to die, she'd take Anthea with her.
After all, her hands were already stained with blood.
She'd make sure Anthea paid with her life.
Without thinking, Rebecca snatched up the fruit knife from the coffee table and lunged at Anthea.
Bang!
In that instant, a tall figure burst through the door, coat swirling behind him. With a swift kick, he knocked the knife from
Rebecca's

hand. Decca's
Clatter-
The knife hit the floor, ringing sharply through the room.
At the same time, Rebecca was knocked backward onto the sofa.
The man who'd come was none other than Sherman.
"You okay?" Sherman glanced at Anthea.
"I'm fine," she replied, then added, "Where's your friend?"
Sherman looked back at the doorway.
There stood Daniel, ghostly pale, frozen at the threshold as if his soul had left him.
Rebecca turned toward the door as well.
And when she saw him-
All the blood drained from her face.
Daniel!
It was Daniel.
What was he doing there?