Derek took out his phone as Emily had asked him to, his fingers trembling slightly despite the confident mask he tried to wear. There was tension between them. Emily’s lips curled into a mischievous smile, her eyes sharp and unforgiving.
“Come on,” she urged, her tone daring him. “Call Claire and let’s hear what she has to say.”
Her challenge. She knew, was like asking him to do the impossible and Derek hesitated, his thumb hovering over the screen. Emily watched him closely, taking in every flicker of his expression. The man who usually brimmed with charm and composure now seemed smaller, more fragile. He took a deep breath, punched in the number, and brought the phone to his ear.
“Put it on loudspeaker,” Emily interjected, her voice steady and cold. “I want to hear what she has to say
