Catherine's POV
I didn't stop to catch my breath as I reached the bottom of the stairs. I ignored the staff members who looked at me in surprise and shoved the heavy front doors open. The air was cold, but I barely felt it. My mind was consumed by the sound of Julian's voice in that recording. He had sounded genuinely panicked, and that terrified me more than anything else.
I ran down the long, winding driveway. My lungs began to burn, but I didn't slow down. I kept thinking about Tessa.
By the time I reached the massive iron gates, I was gasping for air. I saw Julian's car packed near the entrance. He was leaning against the driver's side door, his head down, staring at the ground.
The moment he heard my footsteps, his head snapped up.
"Catherine," he said, taking a step toward me.
