Chapter 64: The Personal Attack

I sat frozen, my eyes locked on the subject line of Daniel’s email: “From Daniel: A Piece of Your Past.” The room felt suffocating, the air heavy with tension. My hand hovered over the mouse, a sense of dread building in my chest. I knew Daniel would hit me hard, but I wasn’t ready for this. Not for the past I had buried long ago.

With a deep breath, I clicked on the email.

“Emily," it began, dripping with Daniel’s usual coldness. “Funny how people think they can run from their past, but it always catches up. Attached is something you’ll find… familiar. Just the beginning. Keep going down this path, and I’ll release everything."

My stomach twisted as I scrolled down to the attachment, a single file. My heart raced as I hesitated. What could he possibly have dug up? Slowly, I clicked it open.

It was a photograph. An old one, from years ago—of me. Younger, maybe in my early twenties, standing beside someone I hadn’t thought about in years. Robert. The man I once thought I’d marry, long