Chapter 131: Nine Chances

The only light in the room was coming from my phone's screen. Luke was speaking to me on the other line, but I couldn't hear anything. Just the sound of my own heart, beating in fear. I heard the footsteps - slow and steady - treading up the stairs. A stranger's cold-hearted steps in my home. Every second lasted a lifetime. The feeling of dread weighed like a stone in my chest. The rest of the world felt like light years away and I was alone. Terribly alone. "Millie?" Luke called my name through the phone. I was breathing rapidly and still failing to get enough air. "There's someone in my house," I whispered, slowly peeling the covers off my bed, "I'm in my room. Please come." I put the phone on silent and dimmed the screen. I didn't want to attract attention to my room. A stranger had broken into my house and I tried to think of rational alternatives to calm my mind. Maybe mom or Flora had returned home? Maybe the blackmailer wanted