Lyra froze when she heard Orla's voice drifting from the corridor outside her hospital room. She had been resting when the sound of her sister's frantic phone conversation caught her attention.
"Julian, you need to stay quiet," Orla hissed into her phone, unaware of Lyra's eavesdropping. "If anyone finds out what we know about her... No, just stay calm. I'll handle everything."
Lyra's heart pounded against her ribs. She quietly pushed herself to a sitting position, straining to hear more.
"We have leverage," Orla continued, her voice dropping lower. "Remember that. As long as we know the truth about her and my mother, we're safe. She can't touch us."
The mention of "my mother" sent a chill down Lyra's spine. Colette. What secret could possibly connect her to whatever Julian and Orla were plotting?
"I'll see you soon. Just don't do anything stupid," Orla finished before ending the call.
