CHAPTER 362

Emily’s POV

I stood there, the past burdening me as I stared at the charred remains of the house where I had spent so many years of my life. The structure, now nothing more than a skeletal frame of blackened wood and twisted metal, seemed to mourn the loss as much as I did. I could barely recognize my childhood home, which had been reduced to ashes and memories.

Phoebe stood beside me, her arm wrapped around my shoulders. We were both crying, the tears mingling with the soot-streaked wind that swept through the ruins. Her presence was a comfort, yet also a reminder of everything we had lost.

“I can’t believe it,” Phoebe choked out.

“I know,” I whispered back, trying to steady my voice. “I keep thinking I’ll wake up and this will all be some horrible nightmare.”

We stood in silence, letting the enormity of our loss sink in. The house had been more than just a building. It held every important moment of our lives, every joy and sorrow etched into its walls. And now, those walls were g