Chapter One Hundred& Twenty Two

As the elevator bell chimed, Emma snapped back into the present. She stepped inside, the metallic odor mingling with a faint hint of perfume of whoever had just left.

Exiting the building, Emma was greeted by the bustle of the city streets. The honking of cars, distant chatter, and sporadic sirens filled her ears. She walked with haste, her gaze scanning for a passing taxi.

After a brief stroll, Emma spotted a cab and lifted her hand to hail it. The driver pulled over and she swiftly climbed in, providing her mother's address. The driver, a friendly-faced elderly man, nodded and set the car in motion.

As the taxi maneuvered through the congested streets, Emma's mind raced. She observed the city blurring by her window, her thoughts oscillating between the bygone and the uncertain future. The driver occasionally stole a glance at her through the rearview mirror, sensing her inner turmoil but maintaining a contemplative silence.

Knowing her mother lived in another state, and it would tak