Jessica had spent the day carefully hiding every move, suppressing her nervousness in front of Armando. She’d thought she was doing well, that her mask was foolproof. But as she finished tucking Alvaro into bed that night, her phone buzzed—a text from an unknown number.
"Don't try to run, Jessica."
Her blood ran cold. She glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting Armando to be standing behind her, but she was alone. Heart pounding, she stared at the message, rereading it over and over, hoping it was a cruel prank. But she knew better.
She tucked her phone into her pocket, trying to keep her breathing steady. This had to be some kind of bluff, a mind game to scare her into staying. But deep down, a nagging feeling told her that Armando knew everything. He was smart—too smart, too connect
