Chapter FortyNine

Samantha was left standing by herself in the hallway as Caleb entered his office, his shoulders rigid and his mouth taut.

A small feeling of fear twisted in her gut as she watched him vanish behind the closed door.

She kept thinking about Monica's cold threat: *This won't end well for any of you.* Samantha's nerves hummed with anxiety as she let out a deep exhale. Was Monica merely envious, or did her comments hide something more sinister?

Caleb's phone buzzed once more, more consistently, inside his office.

His father's name was showing when he looked at the screen. Holding the phone close to his ear, he prepared himself and hit accept.

"Father," he murmured, keeping a steady tone despite the hint of annoyance.

The abrupt answer, which hardly concealed the restrained rage that was underlying it, was, "Caleb. What's happening over there?"

Caleb let out a breath while keeping his eyes on the window.

He was certain that his father would get right to the problem without wasting any t