Her dark brows knitted tightly together as the muffled sounds of an escalating dispute outside penetrated the serene interior of the luxury estate. Her heart rate accelerated instantly, and her mind immediately extrapolated a catastrophic possibility: Raymond had entered without warning and was now confronting her authoritative father.
A surge of panic sent Phoebe sprinting out of her suite. She hurried along the upper corridor in a state of disorientation, but the heel of her shoe caught against the edge of the marble staircase. Her balance vanished instantly, threatening to send her tumbling down the steep steps.
"Miss!" a senior housekeeper cried out nearby.
The housekeeper reacted swiftly, lunging forward and catching Phoebe before she could fall.
The commotion immediately drew the attention of her mother, who had been crossing the lower foyer. The matriarch hurried toward the staircase, her features filled with alarm.
