Chapter 72

Emma walked through the front door, her mind still reeling from the events of the day. She wanted to reach out to Maya, to make sure she was okay, but something held her back.

As she entered the living room, Adriel looked up from his book, concern etched on his face. "Hey babe, everything alright? You look a bit shaken."

Emma forced a smile, not wanting to worry him. "I am fine, just a long day."

Adriel raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You sure? You can tell me if something is wrong."

Emma hesitated, tempted to confide in him. But she knew he wouldn't be happy if he found out what she was doing - putting herself in harm's way to protect Maya. So she lied, trying to sound convincing. "Really, I am fine. I'm just tired."

Adriel nodded, though his eyes lingered on her face, searching for any sign of deception. Emma felt a pang of guilt, but pushed it aside. She could not let him worry about her, not now. He had more than enough to handle, not this.

She walked over to the kitchen, tryi