In another section of the west wing, Olivia lay stiffly on her side, the silk sheets around her tangled and drenched in sweat. Her hand clutched her phone so tightly that her knuckles were white, her thumb hovering over the call button like a trigger. She had been dialing Chloe's number over and over again, each attempt greeted by the same soulless response: This number is no longer in service.Olivia’s lips were dry, her hair matted against her temple, her thoughts a whirlwind of fear, fury, and guilt.She stared at the phone screen for a long moment before finally tossing it to the other side of the bed with a frustrated gasp. It landed with a soft thud against a pillow, mocking her helplessness. The room, usually scented with fresh gardenia and filled with soft classical music, felt hollow tonight — like a mausoleum.Beside her, Giulia sat cross-legged atop the duvet, watching her mother with a furrowed brow. Her legs were tucked beneath an oversized cardigan, her phone untouched
Last Updated : 2026-08-06 Read more