Chapter 35

Drew’s POV

“What?!! What the hell do you mean?”

The last thing I expected this morning was to lose it on my lawyer over the phone.

I slammed the receiver down, letting it bounce across the floor, then collapsed onto the couch. My chest was tight, fists clenched, my mind spinning. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst.

How do I tell her? How do I tell Audrey this?

I felt frozen—paralyzed by the weight of the news I’d just gotten. My body trembled, like some part of me wanted to run, but I couldn’t move.

Footsteps approached softly, but I couldn’t face anyone yet. Not even Audrey. How do I break her? How do I shatter the fragile hope she’s been holding onto?

“Hey, sweetie… what’s wrong?”

Hearing my mom’s voice was like a lifeline—but also a cruel reminder that I had to be strong now. I had to be the one to carry us through this.

“It’s nothing, Mom. Just… got off the phone. Bad news.”