Regret Came Too Late

Daphne's lips trembled as she spoke. Her eyes were reddened, and her voice sounded ragged and cracking.

"You're the reason my boyfriend got exiled by Julian! You ruined his whole damn life. And now I find out that the mystery number was you the whole time? This was all your setup! Grace, I hate you!"

The hatred in her eyes burned hot, but fear kept her rooted. The blade in Grace's hand glinted under the streetlamp, keeping her at bay.

Grace crouched beside her, gaze sharp. "You sure you've never been in contact with Jodie?"

Daphne's expression shifted. She had been in contact with Jodie-of course she had. But she wasn't about to admit that now.

Before Grace could press further, she spotted a figure standing near the front of the house. It was Ed.

She stood up quickly and tossed the knife back into the car. Looking at Lyle, she said, "Keep an eye on her. I'm going to talk to Ed."

Lyle had already seen the figure. The moment he recognized Ed, his whole body stiffened, his hand clenching into a fist so tightly it looked like his knuckles might split.

Grace walked toward the house, but Ed had already stepped inside.

She followed him in, quietly shutting the door behind her. "Did I scare you?"

He'd probably seen her holding that knife-maybe that was what rattled him.

hint of unease. "I didn't

"Scared of what?"

think someone's been

here? In the middle of nowhere? No one had any reason to be near this place, much less break in.

Ed barely socialized. Who would even want to mess with

tired. "I don't

her spine. Something about this didn't sit right. She asked, "Have you ever gone to

spoke, slow and low. "It's not that bad anymore. I'm almost over it. But... there's

slumped forward. He landed quietly against her

I swear

held his hand, feeling the warmth of his skin, the ring on his finger, and the red thread bracelet on his wrist. For

don't you come stay with

just traced her fingertip with

a long pause, his voice rasped out again. He said, "If you really care about me... then stay away from other men. Especially the one sitting in your car

for a beat. Lyle

"You're tracking me?"

planned to bring Lyle along, and the whole thing was

breathing in the background when I called," he said. "Someone else was in the

course, he'd notice something like that. He spent so much time alone

Lyle's voice shouting from