Chapter One Hundred & Forty Three

Emma felt a knot tighten in her stomach as Lucas's cryptic words hung in the air. She opened her mouth to question him, but before she could speak, the heavy door swung open, and a stern-faced warder entered the room.

"We'll be leaving in five minutes," he announced briskly, then exited without waiting for a response.

"We'll talk about everything later," Lucas whispered, his eyes conveying a silent plea for understanding as he had already seen Emma eager to hear what he had to say. Right now, the most important thing is the conclusion on her case in court. Emma nodded in silent agreement as she held his hand.

With a sigh, she reached for the bag of clothes Lucas had brought, her fingers trembling slightly as she unzipped it. Stepping into the bathroom, she closed the door behind her.

The warm water flowing over her skin was a welcome distraction from the chaos swirling inside her mind. She lingered under the spray longer than necessary.

After toweling off and applying her cream, Emma