93. Ashley’s Broken Heart

Arlene stood frozen, her face puffy, tears streaming down her cheeks, her nose red and dripping.

Cara's heart clenched. "Mom… What happened? Why are you crying?"

Arlene wiped at her face, her voice breaking. "You were right, honey. He really is a bastard."

Without hesitation, Cara stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She wrapped her arms around her mother, holding her tightly for a long moment before pulling away. "How did you figure it out?"

Arlene sniffled, standing close to the bed as she wiped her tears away. "Travis was there when we spoke on the phone, and he overheard what you said. The moment I hung up, I asked him if there was any truth to it. He didn't say a word, just tried to change the subject. That only made me more suspicious, so I called Lucrecia. And she told me everything."

Cara's brows shot up. "You called Lucrecia?"