Chapter 1

My parents foster daughter said I called her bitch, but I was mute since birth.

I was the true heir, the one the Sterlings had hunted for eighteen years.

But the second I stepped into the house, Evelyn screamed and buried herself in my mother's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Dad. Mom." Her voice broke. "Please don't make me call her sister. I can't."

"She's the girl from the Academy! The one who started the rumors. She's the reason I'm like this! The reason for my depression!"

Mom held Evelyn tight, stroking her hair.

Dad stared at me. His face was pure disappointment.

"We lost you for 18 years and this is what you grew up to be?"

"Jennings — get her out. No daughter of ours bullies people. The Sterlings don't raise that kind of girl."

I stood there frozen, my hands flying through signs so fast they barely looked like language.

Me? Spread rumors?

I'm mute. I literally cannot make a sound.

I stood still in the entryway, fingertips cold from outside.

Evelyn sobbed into Mom's neck, her whole body shaking.

When she finally lifted her head, her eyes were red-rimmed and raw.

"You don't know what she did." Her voice dropped to barely a whisper.

"Last month, when I made it into the Dean’s list, she told everyone I cheated. That Dad paid off the teachers. That I slept with the department head to protect my scholarship record—"

Every sentence landed. Mom's hand on Evelyn's back pressed down harder with each one. Dad's jaw locked tighter.

I opened my mouth. Only air came out.

I've never been able to speak. Damaged vocal cords — doctors said it at birth. I've spent my whole life talking with my hands and a notebook.

I raised my hands. My fingers had just started to form No when my brother, Julian, shot up from the couch.

He crossed the room in three strides and stood over me.

"Clara." His voice was flat. "Stop performing. You drove her to a breakdown. There's nothing to explain."

I held still, hands frozen mid-sign.

Julian was the only son. From the moment I walked in, he'd barely looked away from Evelyn. When he looked at her, he was soft.

When he looked at me, he acted as if he saw something filthy.

"Julian, don't." Evelyn reached for his sleeve. Her voice was small. "Maybe she just wanted attention. She didn't know how else to reach out. I don't blame her. I really don't."

"You're always too kind."

Mom pulled Evelyn closer and turned to me, her eyes cold.

"Clara. We brought you home to be part of this family. Not to torture the girl who's been living in it. Whatever habits you picked up out there — leave it at the door."

Dad knocked his knuckles against the side table. Once. Hard.

"A Sterling girl, raised anywhere on earth, should know how to conduct herself. You've been inside five minutes and already embarrassed this family."

The staff had clustered near the hallway. They weren't even pretending not to stare.

"She grew up with the street boys. What did you expect?"

"Poor Evelyn. Who could go after someone that sweet?"

"Look at her, signing like that. She's faking it. Milking it for sympathy."

I breathed through it. I reached into my bag for my notebook. I can write it done, I will explain everything to them.

My fingers touched the zipper.

Julian grabbed my wrist.

"What are you pulling out now?"

I twisted free and got the notebook out anyway.

He snatched it from my hand and tore it in half. Then kept tearing. The pages came apart in the air and drifted down around my feet.

I stood there and watched them fall.

Evelyn let out a soft sob and turned her face away.

"Julian, please. She's just confused—"Evelyn's voice was barely audible.

Julian cut her off. His eyes were burning.

"She drove you to a breakdown and you're still defending her? Someone this twisted doesn't belong in this family."

Dad's face went stone cold. He turned to the door and gestured once.

"Jennings. Throw her out. The Sterlings don't have a daughter like this."