Chapter One Hundred& Fifty Seven

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