Her slender thumb pressed the screen once more, abandoning the last remnants of her pride in search of reassurance. Only two rings passed before the encrypted line connected.
"Hello?" she spoke softly from the secluded corridor, her voice quieter than usual.
"Hmm..." She hesitated, tightening her grip on the fabric of her gown. "Where are you right now?"
"What happened, sweetheart?" His deep baritone flowed effortlessly through the receiver, calm and steady, as though he hadn't drenched his hands in blood only moments earlier.
"I... I don't know." A weary sigh slipped from her lips. "I'm feeling strangely unsettled... and, somehow, irritated." She lowered her gaze for a brief moment before asking again, "Where are you now?"
"Tell me what you need." Raymond's voice remained composed, effortlessly reading the turmoil she failed to conceal. "Do you want me to come to you?"
"Yes..." she admitted quietly. "Can you come here? I think this gala will last another hour... maybe two."
