CLAIRE

Julian stared at his phone, Ethan's name glowing on the screen. I wiped my eyes quickly, trying to pull myself together.

"Don't answer it," I said.

Julian looked at me, his expression cold and sharp. "I want to hear what he has to say," he replied, then answered. "What do you want, Ethan?"

He didn't put it on speaker but I could hear the faint sound of Ethan's voice through the phone, tight and strained.

Julian's jaw clenched. "How did you get this number?" he asked, his tone flat.

More talking from Ethan's end. "I don't care what you think you know," Julian said. "You have thirty seconds before...