Chapter 3 Launch with Momma

Lisa walked into the dining room, where Sophia was already seated at the table. The room was filled with the delicious aroma of Mexican cuisine, and Lisa's stomach growled in anticipation.

"Hey, sweetie," Sophia said, smiling as Lisa took her seat. "How was your first day at school?"

Lisa took a deep breath, launching into a detailed account of her day. She told Sophia about her classes, her teachers, and her initial impressions of the school. Sophia listened attentively, asking questions and making supportive noises.

As they ate, Lisa found herself feeling more and more at ease. Sophia was easy to talk to, and she seemed genuinely interested in Lisa's life.

"I'm glad you're settling in well, sweetie," Sophia said, as they finished their lunch. "I was a little worried about you, being in a new school and all. But you seem like a strong girl, capable of handling anything that comes your way."

Lisa smiled, feeling a warmth in her heart. It was nice to have someone believe in her, someone who thought she was capable of succeeding.

But despite her growing comfort, Lisa couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She kept thinking back to the strange sensation she had experienced the day before, the feeling that someone or something was watching her from a distance.

She considered mentioning it to Sophia, but something held her back. Maybe it was the fear of sounding paranoid, or maybe it was the fear of ruining the perfect image of her new foster mom. Whatever the reason, Lisa decided to keep her concerns to herself.

As they finished their lunch and Sophia got up to leave, Lisa felt a sense of trepidation. She was praying and hoping that Sophia wouldn't turn out to be like her previous foster parents, who had pretended to be good people at first but had turned out to be monsters.

"Momma?" Lisa called out, as Sophia was about to leave the room.

Sophia turned back, a questioning look on her face. "Yes, sweetie?"

Lisa hesitated, unsure of how to phrase her question. "I was just wondering...what do you do for a living, Momma?"

Sophia's smile faltered for a moment, and Lisa caught a glimpse of something in her eyes. Something that looked almost like...fear?

But then Sophia's smile returned, and she laughed. "Oh, sweetie, I'm just a businesswoman. I have a few investments here and there. Nothing too exciting."

Lisa nodded, feeling a sense of uncertainty. She wasn't sure if she believed Sophia's explanation, but she didn't want to push the issue.

As Sophia walked out of the dining room, Lisa was left with a sense of unease. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, that Sophia was hiding something from her.

Lisa decided to do some snooping around the house, to see if she could uncover any clues about Sophia's mysterious past. She started by searching the living room, but she didn't find anything out of the ordinary.

As she made her way upstairs, Lisa noticed that Sophia's bedroom door was slightly ajar. She felt a pang of curiosity, and she pushed the door open slowly.

The room was beautifully decorated, with a large four-poster bed and a stunning chandelier. But what caught Lisa's attention was the large desk in the corner of the room, covered in papers and files.

Lisa's heart skipped a beat as she realized that she had stumbled upon Sophia's office. She felt a sense of excitement and trepidation, as she began to sift through the papers on the desk.

As she searched, Lisa came across a file with her name on it. She felt a surge of curiosity, and she opened the file slowly.

But as she began to read, Lisa's eyes widened in shock. The file contained information about her past, about her parents and her life before the foster care system.

But it was the last paragraph that made Lisa's heart skip a beat. It stated that Sophia had been searching for her for years, that she had been waiting for the perfect moment to bring Lisa into her life.

Lisa felt a chill run down her spine as she realized the truth. Sophia wasn't just a kind and generous foster mom, she was something more. Something sinister.

As Lisa stood there, frozen in shock, she heard a noise behind her. She turned to see Sophia standing in the doorway, a smile on her face.

"Lisa, what are you doing in here?" Sophia asked, her voice low and menacing.

Lisa tried to speak, but