Chapter 22

Emma's Pov

I woke up to the faint sound of movement just outside the door. My heart immediately skipped a beat, a knot tightening in my chest.

The room was still dim, with just a faint sliver of light sneaking through the curtains.

I blinked, trying to fully wake, but the tension from the night before clung to me like a heavy weight.

I had cried myself to sleep, my body exhausted but my mind restless.

The man from the mall—his face wouldn’t leave my thoughts. What if he tells my father where I am?

The very idea sent shivers down my spine. The fear of being found again, of being dragged back to that nightmare... I couldn’t even breathe at the thought.

Suddenly, the sound of the door turning pulled me from my thoughts. I sat up in bed, stiff with anxiety, every muscle in my body tensed.

Gregory walked in. He didn’t even glance at me. No acknowledgment, no word—just a cold silence.

He moved like I didn’t exist, peeling off his clothes and tossing them aside without c