CHAPTER 71: THE CALL THAT SHOOK HER

"Pick up the damn phone, Veronica!" Cecilia hissed, her pacing becoming frantic as she stared at the screen. Her fingers repeatedly tapped the call button, knuckles white, as her breath came in uneven spurts. Call after call, her step-sister refused to answer. Sweat beaded along her hairline, a mix of anger and anxiety creeping under her skin. The phone rang again for what felt like the fifteenth time before there was finally a click on the other end. "What the hell do you want, Cecilia?" Veronica's voice dripped with a sneer, but a smugness laced her tone, making Cecilia's stomach churn. "Why didn't you pick up earlier?" Cecilia snapped, her words sharp, almost biting through the air. She could hear the faint rustling of sheets and an unmistakable laugh—Terry's—coming from the background. "Sorry, I was a little… preoccupied," Veronica purred, the smile audible in her voice. "Terry and I were busy in the bedroom. You know how it is when you have a real man to keep you company." C