The name struck Emily like a distant bell. Grace. Her mother had spoken that name countless times—her twin sister who had vanished after a hospital mix-up decades ago, a wound that never healed.
Lucas reached inside his shirt and pulled out a silver pendant hanging from a string. Inside was a worn photograph of a young woman smiling. Emily took it gently—and her breath caught. The resemblance was unmistakable. It was like staring into an echo of herself.
“Where is she now?” Emily asked, her throat tight.
Lucas lowered his eyes. “She went to heaven. But she said if I ever found someone who looked like her, that person would take care of me.”
Emily felt the weight of the moment pressing in. And beyond the falling rain, she sensed something else—someone watching too closely.
The drizzle turned into steady rain. Vendors scrambled to cover their goods. Lucas began to shiver.
An elderly man with a cane approached—Mr. Howard, who had lived in Ashton longer than anyone could remember. He studied the scene quietly.
“Emily,” he said softly, “take the boy somewhere warm. This weather’s cruel.”
Emily hesitated only a second. Then she held out her hand. “Come with me, Lucas.”