The line went dead, and the silence that followed was almost suffocating. Autumn’s hand trembled, her face twisting into a worried pout. She glanced at Evette, then at Derek.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, her voice quivering as she turned to Derek.

“They’re going to take everything,” Autumn hissed, her voice rising in panic. “And it’s all my fault.”

Before her knees could buckle, Derek caught her mid-fall, pulling her gently back up and guiding her onto the bed.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, his voice steady as he wiped the tears streaming down her face.

Autumn shook her head bitterly. “It’s not okay. I didn’t think this through. I left the...