I’ve got this.
Finally, the sound of a phone ringing cuts through the heavy silence like a sharp blade. My body jerks at the sudden noise, adrenaline flooding my veins. I whirl around as Jaymin steps back into the room, calm and collected as always.
Her driver comes in from the opposite end of the house. His phone is pressed to his ear. He doesn’t speak at first, just nods, his face unreadable.
After a pause, he lowers the phone and turns to Jaymin who stares at him with an expectant look.
“Your son is home,” he tells her.
She exhales, a slow release of tension I didn’t even realize she was holding. Her shoulders drop, her mask of cold indifference faltering just enough to reveal the relief beneath. “Well then,” she says, her voice softer than before. “It looks like we’re finished here.”
Relief washes over me, mingling with exhaustion, but I can’t bring myself to feel the same level of calm that she does. “Great. Can I go now?”
Jaymin retrieves my phone from her purse, holding it out to me with a small, polite smile that makes my skin crawl. “I’ll have my driver drop you off.”
I nod, clutching my phone tightly in my hand, the familiar weight of it somehow comforting now. “Fine.”
CHAPTER 76
CECILIA
Ifollow Jaymin’s driver to the car, my legs shaky but determined. The night air is cold against my skin, but it’s nothing compared to the icy dread that’s coiled in my stomach. The SUV looms ahead, dark and intimidating, and I swallow hard as the driver pulls the door open for me.
The ride is silent, the air inside thick with unspoken tension, so heavy it feels like I’m choking on it. My thoughts spin, tangled and knotted in the aftermath of everything.
Five years.
I can’t believe I agreed to five years.
I stare out the window, watching the dark streets blur by, but I don’t really see anything. The idea of him walking around, free, is almost too much to process. My fingers curl into the fabric of my dress, twisting until my knuckles turn white. Every time I think I’m safe, it’s like the rug gets ripped out from under me again.
We pull up somewhere in the neighborhood where they originally picked me up, and I mutter a quick, “Thanks,” before practically bolting from the car. The air hits me like a slap, cooland biting, but it does nothing to calm the storm raging inside me.
I stand on the side of the road, my breath fogging up in the chilly night as I watch the SUV disappear down the street, the taillights a dull red glow in the distance.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone. My fingers tremble as I swipe my finger over the screen. It’s off again. My heart skips a beat. Did the battery die? Did Jaymin turn it off when I wasn’t looking?
A few agonizing seconds pass, but then the screen lights up. Relief floods through me, so palpable I almost sag against the nearby lamppost. It’s not dead. That’s one positive thing going for me, at least.
Ignoring the barrage of notifications that pop up on the screen, I scroll through my contacts until I find Felix’s number. He said I could call him.
I hesitate, biting my lip. Should I, though? It’s late. He’s probably busy.
Screw it. I need to call someone, and I’m not really coming up with a better option.
It rings once before he picks up.
“Cecilia? Is that you?” He rushes out as soon as the line connects.
The concern in his voice is like a punch to the gut, and I realize how much I’ve been holding my breath. “Hi. Yeah. Umm … sorry. I know it’s late. But, you said I could call?—”
“Of course you can.” There’s noise in the background—voices, the clatter of something heavy—but Felix hushes them, muttering out, “I know, I know,” before his attention returns to me. “Are you okay? Where are you?”
I rub the back of my neck, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “I’m fine,” I lie, my voice sounding thin even to my own ears. “But, uh, I’m not really sure where I am. Let me check.” Isquint in the dim light, taking a few steps toward the corner of the street. The shadows stretch long and ominous across the pavement as I strain my eyes to make out the street name. “Hold on.”
“Relax,” Felix murmurs, almost to himself.
“Huh?” I glance around, confused.
