Chapter 138

ROBERT'S POV

My heart pounded against my chest as I lifted the receiver, the unease creeping over me like a shadow. Reginald’s presence behind me felt like a physical weight, an immovable anchor tethering me to a sinking ship. I rubbed my fingers together, the sensation of the fine sand still lingering—a small but unsettling detail that gnawed at my mind.

Why did he have sand on his hand?

“Hello?” I answered, my voice barely steady.

The voice on the other end was shrill and frantic, unmistakably Ariana's. My heart skipped a beat, terror and relief colliding in a cacophony of emotion. I nearly shouted her name, but she cut me off sharply.

“Don't say anything, I'll do the talking,” she screamed, there was fear and desperation in her voice. “Is this Robert Stone?”

“Yes,” I croaked, my throat tightening.

There were so many things I wanted to say. So many words fighting for a place in my mind.

“Rob, listen. Reginald is not to be trusted,” she said, her voice quivering with raw terror. “I'