Chapter 3: The Arrival of the Society

"Miss Carter, are you sure about this? If you miss today, you’ll have to wait until the next solstice—ten years from now. You know you can’t last that long. You’ll regret this when it’s too late." The pastor’s eyes bored into me, heavy as a judge’s gavel.

His stare was unyielding, but I didn’t blink. I met his gaze, letting him see I was done being a pawn.

"Even if I die, I won’t regret it. I’m not switching! Those weird comments said that three days from now, the secret society will be here to recruit. If Lauren can do it, so can I!"

I was all in—no turning back.

A strange calm settled over me, the kind you get after a car crash when you realize you’ve survived. Mom’s grip loosened, her certainty starting to crack.

That day, things went my way. The ritual was stopped, but Lauren wasn’t let go—she was guarded even more closely, eyes on her every move.

Her claim that I was doomed to die young only made my mom angrier. From now on, Lauren wouldn’t have it easy.

The days blurred by, tension thick as ever. Lauren was watched around the clock. At night, I heard Mom pacing the hallway, floorboards creaking under her frustration.

Three days flew by. Just as I thought I’d lost my gamble, word came from Maple Heights: the secret society was in town, looking for new recruits…

The news hit like a lightning strike. The house buzzed with talk of the society, their mysterious ways, and the long-shot hope for salvation. Even the maids whispered about miracles over the kitchen sink.

"Are they really here?" I gripped my mother’s hand, afraid to believe it wasn’t just another cruel trick.

My heart pounded, hope and dread wrestling inside me. I searched Mom’s face, desperate for the truth.

"It’s true, Ivy, don’t worry. Even if I have to beg on my knees, I’ll make sure they save you. No matter what it takes, I’ll do it." Her voice cracked, and for a second she looked young again—hopeful, almost fragile. I saw how my sickness had aged her, how every day she carried my future like a stone in her chest.

Since I refused the swap, the pastor took his money and left early.

Dad scolded me for being stubborn, but I heard him pacing in his study late at night, muttering to himself. Even the unshakeable Carter patriarch was rattled by what I’d done.

Now that the society was here, maybe there was another way to save me.

"Mom, I want to join them!" I squeezed her hand, looking her dead in the eye.

The society’s arrival proved those weird pop-ups were telling the truth. I’d made the right call—so why should Lauren, the so-called main character, be the only winner?

"Ivy…" Mom stared at me, seeing the resolve in my eyes. She knew this wasn’t a whim.

She studied me for a long moment, searching for any sign of doubt. I held her gaze, steady as stone.

But getting in wouldn’t be easy.

Forget rare gifts or special roots—just surviving with my weak body was a fight against fate.

But if I’m already fighting fate, why not go all in? Mom, I’m not backing down!

My eyes burned with ambition. I’ve never been content—why would fate let me see the world’s beauty, only to stick me with this broken body?

Now, with a shot to flip the script, I couldn’t let it go.

Even if the road’s rough, as long as there’s a sliver of hope, I’m going for it!

I could almost taste freedom—the possibility that I could be more than the family’s tragedy. My heart hammered with longing.

After a long silence, Mom’s face shifted through a dozen emotions. Finally, she gritted her teeth: "Then go for it! My girl has her own dreams. Whatever you want, I’ll back you with everything I’ve got."

She didn’t call me crazy or try to talk me down. As long as it was my choice, no matter how wild, she’d stand by me, planning and worrying with me.

Her words were a lifeline. Gratitude surged in my chest—fierce, overwhelming. For the first time, I saw her as more than a desperate mom—she was my ally.