At 2 A.M., a Hidden

Ava turned quickly, startled.

The audio crackled.

Then my mother’s voice came through my phone.

“You live off my son and still complain?”

The words were sharp, low, and full of poison.

Ava froze.

Noah screamed harder.

“Margaret, please,” Ava whispered. “You’ll wake Ethan.”

My mother laughed.

It was not a loud laugh. It was worse than that. It was controlled.continue reading …