Chapter 175
~ Navine ~
My heart rate skyrocketed when I heard Hailey's voice. That sound, broken, scared, but alive, sent relief flooding through me so intensely I had to grip the edge of Jackson's dresser to stay standing.
That awkward silence between us wasn't hesitation. It was just me struggling to breathe. Struggling to process that she was actually okay. Actually speaking to me.
Nathaniel, Jackson, and Yvonne were all listening in the background. I could feel their presence. Their attention completely focused on this phone call that would determine whether Hailey lived or died.
When the kidnapper said he needed one billion dollars, the number hung in the air like a bomb.
Yvonne burst out laughing.
Actually laughing. Like this was the funniest thing she'd ever heard.
"Navine,
