Julian immediately spoke to Clara:
“Don’t worry, your daughter will be fine.”
The call ended.
He stood up.
“I’ll drive you.”
“No need. I’ll take a cab.”
“I drive fast.”
I looked up at him.
Then—
A heavy blow.
“Seeing you makes me sick.”
He froze completely.
Deadly silence.
I turned.
And walked.
A loud crash came from behind me.
Like furniture being overturned.
The sound of shattered tea sets hitting the floor one after another.
But I couldn’t make out the details.
I could only feel the tremor crawling up my ankles from the floor.
Julian roared, “Aria, don’t go too far!”
I didn’t look back.
Not a single step slowed.
I walked out of the Locke house.
The air outside turned sharply cold.
I exhaled a breath I’d been holding for far too long.
O
