Chapter 38

The evening of the next day, Vince received a call that disrupted the fragile peace we had started to rebuild. I watched as his expression shifted from calm to surprise and then to pensive concern. He stepped away to answer the call, leaving me alone in the living room, my mind racing with the possibilities of who might be on the other end.

When he returned, Vince wore a conflicted expression. “That was Alice,” he confessed, his voice measured. “She’s in town and asked if we could meet. She said it’s important.”

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach, the name Alice echoing in my mind like a haunting melody. Despite my attempts to maintain composure, a surge of anxiety coursed through me. “Why does she want to meet you?” I asked, my voice betraying a hint of concern.

Vince sighed, “She didn’t go into details over the phone. But she seemed distressed. I think it’s important to hear her out, to understand what she’s going through.”

I hesitated, grappling with the