Ruby's POV
"Has the money gone through?" I asked, trying to mask the tremor in my voice.
My heart ached with serious intensity, each beat a painful reminder that my sweet little girl was out there somewhere, beyond my reach. It felt as if a vice was tightening around my chest, squeezing until I could barely breathe.
Dominic looked up from his phone, his eyes softer than I expected, yet intense. "Yeah, it has gone through."
"Shouldn't we call Matt to confirm?" I persisted, the need for reassurance gnawing at me like a relentless predator.
He shook his head. "The money’s definitely gone through. Besides, there's no way to call him. He used a burner phone; he can only call us, but we can't call him." His eyes softened with a compassion that almost melted my knees. "Ruby," he called my na
