Chapter 27

Before boarding, Victoria sent a text to Stein, letting him know she was heading back. She didn't explain why-just said she had something to take care of.

McNeil sat beside her, thoughtfully draping a blanket over her shoulders.

"Get some sleep. We've got a long flight ahead," he murmured.

Victoria replied with a quiet "Mm," nestling into her seat.

As Victoria drifted off, McNeil pulled out his phone and turned it on. Instantly, a message from Violet popped up on the screen.

Reading that something had happened to Gwyneth made McNeil's heart leap into his throat.

With Victoria right next to him, he couldn't very well reply to Violet openly. He waited until she was fully settled, then, when she wasn't looking, typed a quick

response:

"What happened?"

Violet had been up all night, staring at her phone, waiting for any word from him. It wasn't until half past eight the next morning that McNeil's message finally arrived. The moment she saw it, tears spilled onto her screen.

She wanted to call him, but thought better of it. Instead, she replied with another text:

go to the amusement park. But I'm not well enough to take her... Poor thing, always stuck at home with me. McNeil, please

that it wasn't an emergency, and didn't reply. After a long silence, Violet sent another message, testing the

"Is Victoria with you?"

enough, Victoria was bundled up under the blanket,

an early flight-so early, in fact, that it was still

taps of his

you again. We'll wait for you at home-just come

didn't bother

point during the flight, he got up to

lit up. They say curiosity killed the

something she'd read online: No woman ever comes away smiling after looking through her

her close, whispering sweet nothings for hours- swearing nothing had ever happened with Violet, vowing that once her health stabilized, he'd cut Violet out of

didn't know if she could-or even should-believe

new message flashed on

it. To her

trembling hands, she tapped open

just like her mother's. But on closer inspection, she realized it was only a near-perfect imitation, crafted from

image minimized, a new line of text appeared

thank you for the gift. I

believe you remembered

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