Chapter 9: What Happened Last Night

Alison's first instinct upon seeing the name on her phone was to immediately press the volume button, hoping not to disturb Oliver sitting beside her. The last thing she wanted was for him to find another reason to give her trouble—something she had experienced too many times before. Staring at the screen, Alison hesitated. Should she answer or not? Her heart was torn. But then, she felt a piercing gaze on her, burning into her skin. With a sinking feeling, she finally swiped the green button on her phone. The moment the call connected, a voice filled with frustration came through the line. "Alison, what are you doing? Why did you leave without saying a word? Did I do something wrong? Why couldn't you just tell me?" Jane Lane's voice was laced with tears, making it clear how much this was hurting her. Jane knew, deep down, why her daughter had left the White estate. There was a heavy weight of guilt in her voice, a sense that she hadn’t fulfilled her duties as a mother. Hearing