Emily's POV
The first few days after Victor left passed in a blur. The mansion felt too big, too quiet without his presence. I found myself listening for the sound of his wheelchair in the hallways, expecting to see him in the study or the dining room, only to remember he was thousands of miles away.
Lily missed him terribly. She asked about him constantly…when he would call, what he was doing, whether he was thinking about us. Each question was a small knife to my heart because I was wondering the same things.
On the fourth night, my phone rang at midnight. Victor's name flashed on the screen, and I answered before the second ring.
"Emily." His voice was rough, tired. "Did I wake you?"
"No," I lied, sitting up in bed. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine. I just..." He paused, and I heard him exhale. "I wanted to hear your voice. To know how everything is going over there, and how everyone is."
