The phone rang, and for a second, I froze. My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at the screen. An unknown number. Normally, I wouldn’t bother picking up, but something in my gut told me this was different. I couldn’t explain it, but a sense of dread washed over me.
I swiped to answer, bringing the phone to my ear. “Who is this?” I demanded, my voice harsher than intended.
My grip tightened on the phone. “If you’ve hurt her—”
The man cut me off, a twisted amusement in his tone. “I think you should listen to this.”
There was a pause on the other end, a silence that made my skin crawl. Then, without warning, a voice came through the line—soft, broken, and unmistakably Grace’s.
“Nico… don’t… come for me. Please… just… move on… forget about me…”
My blood ran cold. For a moment, I cou
