AVA POV *
I sat on the floor, wrapping my arms around my legs. My whole body felt numb. I couldn’t believe the way Raymond lashed out at me. I couldn’t believe my life had turned into a game, like I was some toy he could control.
My phone buzzed again. Samuel.
I let it ring without picking it up, Not because I was mad at him, but because I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone.
Then another call came in—an unknown number.
I almost ignored it, but then I remembered. I had told my daughter to borrow a phone and call me if she was ever in trouble. That was the only reason I never rejected strange numbers.
I picked up without saying a word.
“Ava,” Samuel’s voice came through, rushed and urgent. “I know you’re ignoring my calls, but there’s a problem. Your old phone… it…… got wiped out. Y
