Mr. Thompson paced restlessly in his living room, his expression etched with concern. The evening had unraveled far from what he had anticipated, and the more time passed, the more his anxiety deepened. "What on earth could have happened to Jared?" he murmured under his breath. He had expected Jared to arrive hours ago, but now the night was getting late.
A troubling thought began to gnaw at Mr. Thompson’s mind. "Could someone have tipped Jared off about our plan?" He halted his pacing, staring intently at his phone as though it might reveal the answer.
"Maybe Eve told him," he speculated, frowning deeply. "They are close, after all. But no, that can’t be it. Eve is too invested in this; she wouldn’t jeopardize everything just to warn Jared." Mr. Thompson shook his head, trying to dismis
