Chapter Forty-Six

Emma's POV

My mind buzzed with fury as I paced outside the apartment, replaying Lena’s admission over and over. How could they deceive Nicholas like this? The man was struggling enough to cope with his injury and to be ensnared in such a vile web of lies—it was unconscionable, and after everything he had done for my family, this is how they repay him. My hands trembled, and I could feel my heart pounding against my ribs.

Lena came running out the door behind me. "Emma, you weren't supposed to find out," she began, scrambling to explain. "You can't tell Nicholas. You don’t understand what this would do to all of us!"

I clenched my fists, feeling my nails bite into my palms. "What I don't understand is how all of you could be so heartless, playing with his life for the sake of money. This is cruel, Lena. Beyond cruel."

Lena gaped at me, her expression wavering between fury and desperation. "Look, you can't just go around judging us. You don’t know what we're facing. Dad's company is fa