**Emma's POV**My knees felt weak as I wobbled to my feet, blinking away the tears clouding my vision. The knock on the door grew louder, more insistent. For a moment, I considered ignoring it, letting whoever it was think I wasn't home. But something inside urged me to move, to confront whatever waited on the other side.Gingerly, I walked to the door and peered through the peephole. My heart leapt to my throat. James stood there, looking impatient. A torrent of emotions surged within me—fear, panic, a sliver of hope.My body shook as I stepped away from the door, trying to steady my breathing. "No, he can't be here. Not now," I whispered desperately to myself.As if reading my mind, James’s voice came through the door, deep and resonant. "I know you're in there, Emma. I can smell you. Please, just open up."I stood frozen, my mind racing. Go with James, back to Nicholas, the man I loved but had hurt so deeply. The idea was unbearable. Or stay here, trapped in this suffocating pit of
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