There was a pause.
And then, shallow breaths.
"…Aria?"
Her voice was a whisper. A trembling, unfamiliar sound. Not the Olivia I remembered. Not the gentle storm, the sister who could cut with words sharp when she wanted to.
No, this voice was shaking.
And suddenly, my blood ran cold.
"…Olivia, what's wrong?"
Olivia?" I breathed, fingers white-knuckled around the phone.
There was only trembling silence at first… until her voice cracked through, so small I almost didn't hear it.
"I—I'm sorry."
My entire body went cold. "Olivia, what... what do you mean? What's going on?"
"You were right," she whispered, voice breaking. "You were right about him. I should've listened to you."
My knees buckled slightly, and I had to grip the edge of my desk.
"Olivia, stop, what's going on? What happened?!"
And then she said it. Her voice shaking, cracking, choked in sobs.
"He.. he said if I don't bring two million dollars in the next two hours, he's going to kill Kaleb and Lily."
