At The Valley.
Since exchanging messages with Axel, Evelyn's phone had become a relentless source of disturbance.
It rang so often that the silence she once enjoyed now felt like a distant memory.
The device vibrated, chimed, and flashed without mercy, as if determined to remind her that peace was no longer a luxury she could afford.
It made sense to silence it.
Completely.
Evelyn stared at the glowing screen for a long second before pressing the silent option with quiet determination.
The room instantly fell into a comforting stillness, the sudden absence of noise almost suspicious in its perfection. Her shoulders eased, and a small sigh of relief escaped her lips.
However, silencing her phone did not silence the world around her.
No one could stop her family from worrying.
No one could stop Axel's family from intruding.
Persistence, it seemed, ran strongly in both bloodlines.
