y rain outside the manor. Red and blue lights flashed through the

m carrying a stretcher, brea

ball into the trash can and let her shoulders slump, perf

e medical supplies on the table and nodded at Arla. "Good call o

Arla, Blair turned her head. Her eyes were locked onto Arla,

o meet her gaze, playing the part of

ed into the distance. The butler let out a long sigh and or

or for Arla, but she shook her head, claim

fa. Caden was standing exactly wher

her posture straight and her steps measured as she walked them d

threshold, Arla slammed the

e deadbolt. A loud, solid

ws and yanked the heavy blackout curtains shut, com

d, the adrenaline that had been keep

Caden standing by the edge of the

oor crashed into her mind, violently colliding with

d. She collapsed on

den against her chest, holding him so

ushing guilt, and the explosive relief

and broke down. She sobbed uncontrollably, her whole bod

s terrified by his mot

e wrapped his arms around her neck

d, his voice soft and trembling. "

itely worse. She cried harder, pulling him closer, feeling his act

. Arla took a shaky breath and loosened her grip. She pu

orehead, silently swearing to burn the worl

he moved, Caden's oversized pajama sleeve sl

oom lights hit

ly halting its emotional spiral. This wasn't a one-time event. It was a long, silent torture that had been happening right under her nose. In that single, terrifying instant, her suffocating grief didn't just vanish;