Copyright© 2021. All rights reserved. The trees swayed ominously, their interwoven limbs resembling outstretched arms beneath the ethereal ghost moon. Growls emanated from the darkness, just as she had suspected. The fierce wind lashed at the hood of her raven hoodie, wrenching it from its ties, leaving her vulnerable to the freezing winter assault. Fear surged, each breath creating a visible fog. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to give in. She had come too far to let fear overcome her. Summoning every ounce of strength, she sprinted down the dark, unknown path, urging her feet to carry her to a mysterious and enigmatic destination. She would not remain tethered to the stranger her father had forced her to marry while she had been fighting for her life in a hospital bed. How could he have done such a thing to her? Her hatred for him intensified tenfold... The relentless pursuit abruptly halted, her voice releasing a high-pitched yelp at the unexpected sight. Before her stood her rejuvenated nightmare, her husband. She was not the least bit frightened, but the man had pledged to her father that he would stay married to her for eternity. "Seems like we're destined to be shrouded in this ominous darkness," he grinned, his smile dripping with menace, sending shivers down her spine. The desperate words she willed her mind to say failed to escape. Her retort of "Whatever, Police Officer" deserted her.

***THIS STORY WILL BECOME FREE ON JULY15th!*** Beverly Curie only lives for herself (and maybe ice cream). When her three nieces are suddenly put under her care, she must do the impossible: think about someone other than herself. Beverly is the only member of her family left in Chestnut Ridge, where she's kept the same routine for eight years: do as little work as possible during the day, marathon sitcoms in the evening, and try (for the life of her) to get everyone to leave her alone. When she loses her position at Red Ribbon's Craft Store, Beverly is left without a job and without a paycheck. Then her estranged sister, Aimee, calls with an impossible favor: Could Beverly take care of her three nieces for six months? It's insane. But then there's the thirty thousand dollars that Aimee offers to pay and Beverly can't resist. Suddenly, she's stuck taking care of three little girls, trying not to kill the soccer moms at the snobby Percival Academy, and joining the PTO. Now Beverly--self-serving, sarcastic, and problematic--must take on the role of a loving parent. And she is anything but. This story is now available on YONDER, your next-generation reading app from the Wattpad family. Join me on YONDER today! Find it now in your app store. Cover designed by Ilafi Nastiti