Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan) novel Chapter 396

The idea hit me like a freight train, and suddenly I was too wired to sleep.

I sprang up from my bed, grabbed the phone again, and dialed Catherine's number without a second thought. My heart sank as it rang unanswered, yet again.

Panic set in. I threw back the covers and paced the room, my heart pounding. I redialed her number every few minutes, but the result was the same - no answer.

Something was off, terribly off. Catherine would never miss a call at this hour.

Ditching any further hesitation, I dialed Logan's number instead. He picked up almost instantly, his voice husky with sleep, "Hey, what's up?

I cut to the chase, "Logan, where are you exactly? Still in Silverdale City?"

“You know I'm at the Wood Manor, right?" He grumbled something incoherent, followed by the sound of rustling sheets. He must've been sleeping lightly; otherwise, he wouldn't have answered so quickly.

"I'm on my way," I said, and hung up before he could ask any questions.

Rushing to the door, I realized I was still in my pajamas – not exactly appropriate attire for a house full of guys. I dashed back, slipped into a dress, and hurried out the door.

Glancing at the clock, it read 4:45 a.m. – most people would be sound asleep.

The house was eerily quiet, but as I passed the living room, I heard rustling noises.

I stopped dead in my tracks. Could it be my dad up this early?

Creeping forward, I peeked inside and spotted Gemma, taking photos of some blueprints sprawled across the coffee table.

Gemma's face twisted into an awkward smile. "I wasn't sneaking around... I just didn't want to wake anyone. I'm amazed at how smart our kids are... I was just curious, not..."

Her excuses were a jumbled mess. I ignored her, picking up her phone from the ground. She lunged for it, but Hannah blocked her with a firm hand.

Gemma's eyes narrowed in defiance, "There's nothing on my phone, Miss!"

Without a word, I began scrolling through her photo album. What I found was disturbing: countless images, all taken covertly. There were shots of my dad with Bennett, my mom setting the table, the kids playing, with a suspicious number of Carl’s photos.

There were also photos of Hannah and me chatting, going out together, the time my mom and I visited the Wood Manor, and various angles of the backyard...

I looked up at Gemma, my gaze frosty. "Care to explain?"