By Any Means

Ava stood frozen in place, her lips pale.

It was a spring afternoon in late April, the sun bathing the earth in warmth and light—yet she felt as though she were standing in a blizzard, cold seeping into her very bones.

Her teeth gently chattered, and her chest felt like it was being tightly gripped, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

Didn't he say he'd keep his distance from Sophia? Didn't he say he'd stay within bounds?

But now, Liam was holding Sophia, hurrying into the car with her, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He looked anxious, rushed.

She was clearly standing right there at the entrance, in the most visible spot, yet he hadn't seen her at all.

"Ma'am? Ma'am?" the driver called softly.

Ava didn't respond.

The driver bent down, picked up the phone she had dropped, glanced at it, then handed it back to her. "Ma'am, you dropped your phone."

She took it numbly.