Hailey’s POV
“Roy needs to hear about this.”
The words echoed in my head long after Edward said them, each second stretching painfully as he raised the phone to his ear.
My body felt rooted to the spot, my mind racing through every possible explanation, every possible outcome, none of them ending in my favor.
“Wait,” I said quickly, my voice breaking through the tension. “Please… just give her a moment. It might pass.”
Edward didn’t even look at me. His expression remained firm, unreadable, as the call began to connect.
Margaret let out a strained breath, her fingers gripping the counter as though she needed it to stay upright. “Edward…” she whispered weakly, her voice trembling just enough to sound real. “Something is wrong.”
My chest tightened. I could feel it now, the way everyt
