Chapter 70
I Don't Owe an Explanation
I stood up, my legs unsteady.
The phone buzzed again on the table, sharp and insistent, like an angry insect that refused to be ignored.
This time, the caller ID wasn't unknown.
HUSBAND
The warmth of the word vanished under a sudden wave of cold dread.
I grabbed the phone, my heart slamming against my ribs. "I have to take this," I said, forcing the words past my tight throat.
My parents were still focused on the television, the news holding them captive. I slipped away unnoticed.
As I hurried toward my room, my father's voice reached me, low and grim, meant only for my mother.
I closed my door and leaned against it for half a second, staring at the glowing screen.
Then I inhaled, shaky, and answered.
"Hallo, Dafa."
"Alayna."
Dafa's voice was stripped bare of warmth. No teasing. No softness. Just sharp, controlled focus.
The soldier.
