The silence in the room pressed down on Carmen like a suffocating weight. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, her mind racing through possibilities and solutions, each more frantic than the last. She couldn’t let this happen. Not like this.
Her gaze darted around the room, her eyes landing on her phone sitting on the table next to the bed. She snatched it up with trembling fingers, fumbling to unlock the screen. Carmen’s mind raced as she scrolled through her contacts, landing on a name.
She didn’t hesitate, dialing the number quickly and holding the phone to her ear, her pulse throbbing with each ring. When the call was answered, a low voice spoke from the other end, cool and calculated.
“Carmen,” the caller said, their voice laced with mild surprise. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from yo
