Where was she?
Marianne paced the length of her room for what felt like the hundredth time, her mind racing in circles. She wanted to make the next move, to finally get answers, but she had nothing—no clue where Melody was or what had happened to her. The uncertainty gnawed at her, each passing second making her more restless.
Then, out of nowhere, her phone buzzed. The screen lit up with a call from an unknown number. Marianne froze, her brow furrowing. She never received calls from anyone outside her small, trusted circle. Her instinct bristled immediately. Who on earth could it be?
Hesitating only for a second, she swiped to answer, the frown still etched on her face. "Hello?" she said cautiously, her voice tight with suspicion.
