Chapter 20

In the prison's visitation room, Evan sat motionless behind the thick pane of glass, staring at Chloe on the other side. Her once delicate complexion had turned sallow, and her cheeks were hollow beneath the orange inmate vest. For a long moment, he struggled to match this gaunt, exhausted woman with the Chloe who had always taken such care to present her best self before him. He didn't bother with pleasantries and got straight to the point, asking Chloe what she wanted to say. Over the past month, Chloe had learned enough about prison life to avoid stirring up trouble. She got straight to the point. "Lila's still alive," she said. The moment the teacup shattered against the tiled floor, Evan swore he could hear the ice crack deep within his bones. Chloe's voice kept spilling through the receiver, but to him, the words felt like invisible needles driving into his temples. He clutched the phone so tightly his knuckles turned white. In the reflection on the glass in front of him