He answered immediately, his upper body filling the screen as he straightened. The faint tremor of the camera betrayed his movements, his breaths barely audible but unmistakable.
One of his hands was pressed firmly over Avery’s mouth. Yet, his expression on the screen was warm, as if nothing was amiss.
“Hello, Valerie. What’s up?”
Could he not even bear to leave her for a moment? A wave of revulsion churned in my stomach, the urge to fling my phone almost overpowering.
“Nothing,” I said, forcing calm into my voice. “I just wanted to see what you were doing.”
His smile brightened, his happiness like a dagger twisting in my heart.
“Do you miss me? The office is freezing, so I’m doing a bit of exercise to warm up.”
His gaze sharpened as he noticed my background wasn’t familiar. His demeanor shifted, tension etching into his features.
“Valerie, you’re not home? Where are you?” His eyes flickered toward the door, his concern poorly masked by his usual charm.
I pressed my back against the cold, white wall, forcing a mask of indifference to settle over my face. My voice remained steady as I spoke into the phone.