No Water Like the Sea

Donna spent two long nights stitching together the memories of the years to come.

When she came downstairs, a girl was sitting on the living room sofa, dressed in a white sundress, her hair pinned up in a butterfly bun.

Grace!

Impossible.

In the original timeline, Donna hadn’t even known Grace existed until after she married Robert.

Yet here Grace was, right in front of her.

“Hello, sister. My name is Grace. I’ve come to see Robert.”

This Grace wasn’t yet the queen of the entertainment industry. She lacked the polished allure of adulthood, but her eyes held that same unmistakable, calculating gaze.

Her face, too, looked plainer and more unremarkable than it would once she became a star.

“Sister, your dress is so pretty. Can I touch it?” Grace took a step closer. “I wish I had a beautiful dress like this too.”

Watching her approach, feeling those disgusting eyes roam over her, Donna was hit by a wave of nausea.

If it weren’t for this woman’s scheming, her whispered betrayals, Donna wouldn’t have ended up dead in a ditch.

Before Grace’s fingers could brush the fabric, Donna slapped her hand away.

“Get away from me!”

They were both teenage girls. Donna wasn’t particularly strong, but Grace stumbled and fell to the floor, her eyes instantly welling up. She bit her lip, staring back.

“Donna!”

A frantic shout came from behind.

Robert rushed out of his room and strode over, helping Grace to her feet. “Are you hurt?”

Grace bit her lip, fighting back tears. “Robert, I went to your house looking for you. Megan said you were here, so I came over. I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to barge in…”

Doors around them began to open one by one. Larry, Donald, Randy—several of Donna’s suitors peered out to see what was happening.

As candidates chosen by Laura for Donna, they all lived in the family home, though their rooms were on the floor below hers.

“Donna, are you insane?” Larry had a hot temper and was Donna’s age; they’d always traded barbs. Now he stormed forward, swearing under his breath. “Does everyone who comes here have to get beaten up by you first? What did she even do?”

Donna crossed her arms and leaned back against the sofa. “Has my family fed yours too well? Is that why you dare speak to me like that?”

They’d all grown up together. Even though Donna felt no love for any of them, she’d never said anything so deliberately cutting—words meant to slice straight to the heart.

Larry froze, flushed red, and clenched his fists as if to step forward.

Donald quickly pulled him back, signaling not to provoke Donna.

By the door, Robert let out a cold laugh. He carefully lifted Grace onto his back and turned to leave.

Larry, Donald, and the others followed Robert out, their voices trailing back with scattered words of concern for Grace.

Donna sat on the sofa, watching them go with cold eyes.

Megan. So Grace was already this close with Robert’s family.