From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent

Rebecca watched Daniel make the phone call. "Daniel, maybe we should just let it go. You can't turn your back on your own father for me."

Daniel slipped his arm around her. "Don't worry, Rebecca. My dad's a reasonable man. I'm sure once he meets you, he'll like you just as much as I do."

Who could possibly dislike a kind girl like Rebecca?

"Really?" Rebecca blushed, a little shy.

"Really!"

***

Meanwhile, in the Christensen family's game room, Anthea and Sherman were locked in a tense chess match.

Neither gave an inch, each move calculated, the pieces clicking softly on the board.

Anthea raised her brow. "I've never met anyone who could actually challenge me before. You're only the second." Most games, she barely had to think.

But with Sherman—and that infuriating stranger from online-it was different.

Both of them were masters, the kind who demanded your full attention. The tiniest distraction, and you'd be left with a board in ruins.

Sherman paused, rolling a chess piece between his fingers. "So who was the first?"

Anthea set a piece on the board, her fingertips lingering. "Someone you wouldn't know."

Why couldn't he ever know these people?

That strange sense of familiarity crept over him again. It was uncomfortable-like

trapped in

continued, "I think you and that person would be evenly

only grunted in

phone buzzed. He

moment, he ended the call,

it?" Anthea asked,

said, "Daniel's going to

laugh. "Looks like your brother's been properly fooled by Rebecca. Can't

"Can't fix stupid."

tone shifted. "I think there's something fishy about Sandra's death. Maybe... it

piece, his interest piqued. "What makes

met his gaze. “After Sandra died, didn't Rebecca get Daniel totell your family that her mom had passed her dad's still in prison and she hoped you'd help her out,

nodded, thinking back. "Yeah, she

That's why

leaned in. "When I went to

eralhome found

-

But Sandra wasn't the type to kill herself. So why take

wasn't bankrupt, she got a nasty fight with Sandra.

el.not

blame Daly and Sandra for calling

quiet but unshakable,

the chess piece between his

Sherman's king. "Want to find out if

nodded. "You have

course," Anthea replied smoothly. "Bring