Catherine's Pov
"Can I come to your place... please.. it's urgent..I—" The words tumbled out, shaky and broken.
"Catherine, are you okay?" Darcy's voice was instantly laced with worry over the phone.
"Yes... no... I'm not," I sighed, blinking back a fresh wave of tears as I held Esme tighter against my chest, her small body a fragile anchor in my spiraling world. "No, I'm not okay."
"Is it Soren?" she asked, her tone softening with a knowing dread.
I deliberated for a second, my eyes darting from the damning photos scattered across the table, the evidence Marie had left behind — to Esme, who watched me with wide, innocent eyes, completely unaware of the storm tearing her family apart.
"Yes." The word came out as a croak.
"I'll come and pick you up, okay? Just stay calm. I'm on my way."
"Thank you." I heaved out a shaky sigh of relief, the first semblance of a plan forming in the chaos.
