There was a long, chilling pause on the other end of the line until a small, trembling voice finally broke through the static. “Dad?”
Julian’s heart skipped a beat as he gripped the phone tighter. “Penelope? What is going wrong? Where is your mother right now?”
He could hear the faint, muffled sound of Finn crying in the background, which made his blood run cold. Penelope’s voice broke as she tried to stay brave. “Dad, please, can you come home right now?”
She took a shaky breath and spoke so quietly he could barely hear her over the rain. “My back really hurts a lot and I can’t carry Finn anymore because I slipped on the floor.”
The prestigious office and the million dollar deal suddenly felt like they were a thousand miles away. Julian didn’t return to the meeting to explain his departure; he simply grabbed his keys and ran for the elevator.
The drive home was a blur of gray rain and blinding brake lights as every red signal felt like an eternity. A crushing weight of guilt settled on his chest as he imagined Penelope struggling alone in that massive, empty house.