CHAPTER 375

Emily’s POV

I sat there, overwhelmed by guilt and self-reproach. I should have never let Antoine into our lives. If only I had been more careful, maybe none of this would have happened. The weight of responsibility felt crushing, and I couldn’t escape the blame that was gnawing at me.

Sophia, seeing my distress, reached out and gently placed her hand on mine. “It’s not your fault, Emily. None of this is your doing,” she said softly, her voice full of empathy.

Her words did little to ease the guilt that clung to me. Sophia had been nothing but kind to me since the day we met, and now she was dealing with this nightmare because of me. The silence that followed was heavy and laden with unspoken fears and regrets.

Eventually, I knew I needed to explain, to offer some semblance of understanding. Taking a deep breath, I began to recount my story.

“I met Antoine at a party,” I started, my voice slightly quivering. “I was working part-time as a waitress while in college. It was supposed to be