With that thought, I smiled at the small trinkets Simon had made for Ella, then packed a few of her favorite clothes into a bag. With the help of the house staff, I got the rest of Ella's things ready, as I planned to have the family driver take me to the hospital.
I opened Ella's door and stepped out. I had every intention to call the driver to prepare the car. Yet, I just walked a few steps when I heard the sound of a girl’s laughter coming from Cassie’s room.
Had Simon brought Cassie home already so early? I wondered.
As the thought entered my mind, I drew a deep breath and decided to discuss Ella's situation with Simon. However, before I could take another step, a sudden, muffled scream came from Cassie’s room, followed by Simon’s voice.
My brow furrowed as an unsettling feeling washed over me. Carefully, I tiptoed closer to Cassie’s door.
“No … please, don’t …!” her playful voice rang out sharply at the moment.
A chill shot up from my feet and raced through my body, freezing me in place. My mind hadn’t even caught up to what was happening when I instinctively reached for the door handle.
