[Isolde]
I went home devastated.
Home? What a joke. That word implied warmth, safety, and belonging—all things this house had stopped being the moment those men dragged my son out the door.
The bus ride back felt endless, each passing streetlight a reminder of how far I was from Rick, how utterly I'd failed him. My phone sat heavy in my lap, screen dark except for when I'd wake it every few minutes to dial Johnny's number.
'The number you have dialled is not available. Please try again later.' It kept repeating.
I tried again anyway, my thumb jabbing the call button with more force than necessary, as if sheer will could make him answer. As if he'd suddenly develop a conscience and pick up, ready to explain why he'd gambled away even more money while I'd been risking my life.
'The num
