Ava’s POV
I was still sitting by the pool when my phone started ringing.
The sound cut through the quiet afternoon air and made me flinch. For a second I considered ignoring it. Then I saw the name on the screen and the decision was made for me.
Sybil.
I answered the video call before I could talk myself out of it. Her face appeared almost immediately, framed by the familiar light of her kitchen. She looked the same as always—practical, composed, with the soft smile she wore when she was genuinely glad to see me.
“There you are,” she said. “I was beginning to think you had forgotten how to answer your phone.”
I managed a small laugh and shifted so the camera caught less of the pool behind me. “Sorry. I was outside.”
“Outside is good. Fresh air is good.” She tilted her head, studying
