Catherine's POV
I sat on my bed, processing the chaos of the day. I needed to talk to someone, so I picked up my phone and dialed Kiera's number.
"Hey," Kiera answered on the second ring. "Are you dead? Or did Julian finally kidnap you?"
"Sorry, Kiera," I said, leaning back against my pillows. "I can't come back tonight. A lot happened."
"Hmm. Why does it feel like a 'Julian problem'? Was he lying?" she asked, her voice turning serious.
"No. He wasn't lying. It wasn't what you thought."
"What was it then? What was so urgent that you had to sprint out of here?"
I hesitated, remembering the secret we were now keeping for Ethan and Tessa. I couldn't tell her.
"My mom," I lied, the words feeling sour in my mouth. "She had a little kitchen accident. A burn. She's fine now, she's been treated, but I had to stay with her for a bit."
