Riley’s POV
The first text came the next morning.
I was feeding Cynthia, still exhausted from the night before, when my phone buzzed.
Unknown Number: “Tick tock, Erica. Day one.”
My hands went numb. The bottle nearly slipped from my fingers.
Marcus.
I stared at the screen, my fingers trembling. The words were simple, but they sent a chill down my spine. Marcus wasn’t bluffing. He was counting down. Reminding me that the clock was ticking. That I had six days left before he destroyed everything.
I blocked the number immediately, my heart racing.
But deep down, I knew it wouldn’t matter. He’d just find another way to reach me. Another number. Another message.
Seven days to figure out what Erica and Marcus had been planning.
Seven days before my entire world fell apart.
*******
Th
