I snapped awake at the pronouncement of Father's death.

How... how could that have happened, the night I had planned to take matters into my own hand? "Mom, what happened to him?" I asked, sincerely concerned. Between the search someone had done on my room and Father's death, something was seriously wrong. It was clear that someone was after me, or something I owned... but the papers had been left untouched, as had the $2.7 million stipend. That meant the intruder had been after one of two things: the necklace or my life. Could it be that it was more than some trinket?

Either way, I would be wearing the necklace at all times going forward. 

As for Mother's request... I would have to obey her. I would just look weaker if I ran now. I couldn't imagine Mother trying to kill me; she was too gentle, had always let Father make the important decisions. But he had died even before I could begin taking the steps to have him killed. Had someone anticipated my plans and beaten me to the punch? Could it have been that boy, the one from the restaurant? 

I had to find out, no matter the cost!