Chapter 15: Close Call

The message below it read something that made my blood run cold.

“What the fuck?” I whispered under my breath, staring at the screen in disbelief.

My heart slammed against my ribs the second I saw the video file and message. I didn’t think. I grabbed it immediately, even before Mark noticed and shoved it deep into my bag before she came back.

Mom walked back from the kitchen right then, two cups of tea steaming in her hands. She set one down in front of me with a warm smile.

“Here, extra honey the way you like it,” she said, sitting across from me. “Mark, are you sure you don’t want one?”

“I’m good,” he replied, leaning back.

I wrapped my fingers around the cup, forcing a nod and a smile. The tea burned my tongue but I kept sipping. That phone in my bag felt like a bomb. What does that blackmailer want? Should I not have ignored him? This is getting far. My mind spun while Mom chatted about her day. I barely heard her.

A couple minutes later she put her cup down and started patting her pockets and searching the couch. “Where’s my phone? I need to check those store hours.”

She looked on the table, under magazines, behind the lamp. My face burned hot. Sweat prickled on my neck. I stayed still, cup to my lips, pretending everything was fine.

“Can’t find it anywhere,” Mom muttered. She dropped to her knees and checked under the couch. “Evie, you see it?”

I swallowed hard. Part of me wanted to hand it over and get it over with. The other part screamed to keep it hidden. Heat flooded my cheeks. I didn’t move. I couldn't reply her.

“Mark, call my number quick,” Mom said, standing up and brushing her knees.

Mark pulled out his phone. “On it.”

My stomach dropped. Any second now it would ring from my bag. I had to act. While Mom glanced toward another corner searching for it, I shrugged, reached down, and slipped the phone out.

“Oh, here it is,” I said, holding it up. “I must have sat on it earlier. Sorry about that.”

Mom turned, relief all over her face. “Thank goodness.”

I handed it to her, but I didn’t let go completely. “Wait, Mum. Let me show you something first.” I pretended I wanted to show her a website. As soon as she unlocked the phone, I pulled it slightly toward me and swiped quickly to the messages.

There it was. The video. It showed me and Mark entering the hotel that night. My stomach twisted. Everything Mum had been saying about moving back home suddenly felt far away. My mind was somewhere else, imagining what would happen if she had opened that video. How hurt she would be. How everything would break.

I deleted the video immediately, my fingers moving fast. I cleared the notification. Blocked the number. Then I opened the browser and searched for a bag and scarf combo at Lumina Enterprise.

“See this one?” I turned the screen back to her, voice steady.

Mom leaned in, smiling wide. “Oh Evie, that’s nice. The colors are perfect. We should go pick it up together soon. This Sunday maybe?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Sounds good.”

We talked about it for a minute, her pointing out details, me nodding along. The relief hit me hard, but I kept my face calm. Inside, my mind still raced, another message with another number shouldn't pop up right now please. I was pleading in my thoughts.

Later I brought up the moving-over thing. “About spending more nights here, Mom… I’ll think about it. If it makes you happy again, I won’t say no right away.”

She squeezed my hand. “It would mean everything, honey. I just want us to live together as a family once again.”

Mark nodded from the couch. “Family time matters.”

I stood up, grabbing my bag. “I should head out. It’s getting late.”

Mark got up immediately too. “Stay for the night, Evie. Roads are dark. We’ve got the your room ready.”

Mom jumped in. “Yes, please. I’ll make pancakes in the morning. Don’t rush off.”

I paused, caught between them. Their hopeful looks pulled at me. I shifted my bag strap, mind still buzzing from the deleted video.

Mark was glad his plan was working successfully. Evie staying in the house would make everything easier for him. But as they were talking, the front door opened suddenly.Heavy footsteps came down the hall. Alex walked in, shoulders tight, eyes scanning the room.

Evie’s face squeezed with shock and frustration as she saw him. The night was about to get even more complicated.