Mrs. Kathy shook her head, her eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and pain. "He's your father, Emma. He's the monster who did it to me. You can check about him, but I doubt you would find much." Her voice trembled slightly, but her gaze remained steady. Emma's body went rigid, and she stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor."I know exactly who he is, Mother." Emma's voice was cold, She grabbed her phone from the table with a swift motion and stormed towards the door, her footsteps echoing through the house. Her mother scrambled to follow her, her voice rising in panic."Emma, what are you doing? Where are you going? We're not done here!" Mrs. Kathy's voice was tinged with desperation, but Emma was already outside, the cool evening air hitting her face as she approached her car. She fumbled with her keys for a moment before unlocking the door and sliding into the driver's seat.Her mother's pleas grew more frantic. "Emma, please, listen to me!" But Emma had alread
"Is everything okay?" A waitress rushed towards Emma's table, her voice a mixture of concern and apprehension. Emma turned to her with a sharp glare, her eyes flashing."Stay out of this. I'm having a little chit chat with my father," Emma snapped, the word "father" dripping with venom. She turned back to Mr. Mario, who was now standing, his eyes blazing with a mixture of fury and disbelief at Emma's actions."What did you just do, Emma?" he asked slowly, his voice a low growl as he began to round the table. His movements were deliberate, each step echoing in the tense silence of the restaurant. Emma held her ground, her heart pounding in her chest."You're a fucking bastard who raped my mother!" Emma's voice was filled with raw anger and pain. The words had barely left her lips when a fist connected with her cheek, the impact resounding through the room like a gunshot. She staggered backward, her vision swimming, and crashed into a nearby table, collapsing to the ground.The world se
Emma's eyes flew open, taking in her surroundings in a panic. She was in a dimly lit room, the walls bare and unwelcoming. The voices were coming from a partially open door to her left. She strained to hear more, her heart racing."After that, where are we going to dispose off her body?" The voice cut through again. Emma slowly sat up, her breath catching in her throat. She strained to listen, her heart pounding as if it wanted to leap out of her chest. It was now clear they were talking about her, and she shuddered in fear."We have to hold on," the first voice continued, calm but firm. "We don't know if any of the witnesses at the restaurant might say something to the police. We need to let this die down first."A second voice, sharper and more insistent, replied, "Mr. Mario said immediately."The voices faded, their footsteps echoing down the corridor. Emma's muscles tensed, and she felt a wave of cold sweat break out on her forehead. She tried to lift her hand to wipe it away, but
Emma held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she strained to hear any sound in the silence. She couldn't decide whether to bolt or stay hidden, hoping to find out who had been shot.A whisper cut through the silence. "Emma!" Davina’s voice, urgent and hushed, brought a rush of relief. Emma exhaled softly, standing up from behind the flower-covered grass where she had crouched, and waved towards the window.Davina, sighting her, leaped gracefully out of the window, landing softly beside her. Her eyes were wide with urgency."We don’t have much time," Davina whispered, her voice tight with fear. "That gunshot was loud enough to alert anyone nearby. They’ll come to check out what happened soon and figure out what happened."Emma’s pulse quickened. She nodded, feeling the weight of the moment press down on her."Run, Emma. Don’t stop until you find the well. I’ve left a trail—you’ll see it. Follow it to the well and wait for me there. I have to get something inside," Davina in
Lucas shifted in his seat, his eyes flicking nervously between Emma and the police officer driving. "Are you serious about that?" he murmured, leaning closer to Emma in the back seat. His voice was barely audible over the hum of the car's engine. Emma nodded subtly, her gaze fixed on the passing city lights, her brow furrowed in concentration.Lucas pressed on, his tone urgent yet controlled. "Where is he hiding?"Emma's lips twitched, a brief moment of hesitation before she whispered back, "I'll let you know tomorrow." Her voice carried a hint of something he couldn't quite place, tinged with weariness from the ordeal they were caught in.The police car eased into the hospital's emergency entrance, lights flashing against the night sky. Paramedics were already waiting, their faces masked with professional concern as they guided Emma out of the car and into the bustling ER.Lucas paced the corners of the waiting area, his mind a whirlwind of unanswered questions as he waited for the d
Emma blinked. Once, twice, then a third time, each blink slower than the last as she tried to process what she had just heard. The woman in front of her, who had exuded an air of mystery earlier, now seemed impossibly chatty. Her words blurred together, a relentless stream of information that Emma struggled to follow. But one phrase cut through the noise, ringing in her ears like an alarm: "I'm his betrothed."The room seemed to tilt, and Emma grasped the edge of the hospital bed to steady herself. Lucas had never mentioned having a betrothed. The idea of another woman, waltzing in and branding herself with that title, made Emma's heart pound in her chest. She felt a rising tide of nausea and confusion.The woman, noticing Emma's vacant stare, reached out and tapped her gently on the shoulder. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice softer now, tinged with concern.Emma's eyes flicked to the tubes connected to her arms. She took a deep breath and, with a swift motion, pulled them out. Th
Lucas shoved Morgan away, and she stumbled backwards, nearly falling before she regained her stance. Her eyes widened in hurt, but it quickly morphed into anger, her cheeks flushing a deep red."You pushed me away?" Her voice trembled, a raw edge of desperation seeping through despite her efforts to mask it.Lucas’s eyes narrowed, his expression hardening. "This is the last time you’ll try something like that," he warned, each word dripping with malice. "Next time, you'll see a side of me you won't like. Believe me, Morgan, I've changed."Morgan’s fists clenched at her sides, her knuckles turning white. "If you take another step, Lucas, you'll be starting a war. And trust me, you won't win."Lucas paused mid-step, his back to her. He didn't turn around as he spoke, his voice cold and crisp. "Go ahead, Morgan. Do what you want." He took a deep breath, then broke into a run.He burst out of the hospital doors, his eyes scanning frantically for any sign of Emma. The parking lot stretched
Lucas stood there, watching Emma's retreating figure, the words unspoken, a heavy silence settling around him, leaving an air of guilt.He walked into the house, his footsteps echoing on the floor. The first thing he saw was his father, seated in the armchair by the window, his gaze fixed and intense. It felt as though his father’s eyes were boring into his soul, uncovering every hidden regret and mistake."Father," Lucas whispered, his voice barely audible. He cleared his throat, trying to steady himself. "Good evening."His father's nod was slow, deliberate, a gesture that carried the weight of years of disappointment. The room felt colder, the air thicker with unspoken words. Lucas recalled how his father had disapproved of Ivanka from the beginning. That disapproval had driven a wedge between them, and even after he and Ivanka had parted ways, the chasm between him and his father had remained, unbridgeable.He could not forgive himself either, walking out on his father that parti