I dialed Olivia's line, my fingers trembling as I pressed the screen. She picked up almost immediately, her voice sharp with concern.
"Emily? What’s wrong?"
"Liv… I’ve figured it out," I gasped, my breath short. "Mara is innocent. She didn’t do it." I ended the call.
My voice broke as I struggled to explain everything rushing through my mind. My chest was tight, my heart pounding like a war drum.
Without waiting for Olivia’s reply, I grabbed my tote bag and bolted out of the house, my footsteps loud against the wooden floor. My vision was blurry from tears I hadn’t even realized were falling. I had no time to think. I just knew I had to get to Mara fast.
I pressed Ethan's number next. He answered on the first ring, his deep voice calm but alert, like he had been waiting for me.
"Emily?"
I slid into the back seat of
EMILY'S POVDo I have a double life?No. No, I don’t.But standing here, with my back still pressed against the cold metal rail, the sky stretching out behind me and death literally breathing on my neck, I feel like a stranger to myself. Maybe that’s what she wants, to push me to the edge until I forget who I am.I can see death staring right at me. It’s not a metaphor. It’s not poetic. It’s real. Tangible. Palpable. I am seconds away from falling, my body crashing onto the concrete floor below, bones breaking, life fading.The way she’s gripping me, the look in her eyes, the way her hands tremble with rage, I’m almost shaking hands with death.But I won’t show it.No matter how terrified I feel inside, no matter how much my heart thuds like a hammer trying to burst through my chest I won’t show her my fear.She wants to see me crack. She wants me to cry. To beg. To scream for help. She wants me to plead with her to spare my life so she can feel in control, so she can pretend she’s Go
EMILY'S POVI pushed the door open and stepped onto the hospital rooftop, letting the breeze hit my face. The air was cooler up here, cleaner than the stale worry that clung to every corner of Florida’s ward. I walked slowly toward the railing, the soft hum of the city below filling my ears.I stared down at the hospital’s surroundings, the movement of cars, people entering and leaving, tiny specks from this height, like toys in a child’s playset.I took a long breath, then exhaled, but the pressure in my chest refused to lift. So much had happened in such a short span, and I needed a place to think, to breathe, to gather myself before I lost all sense of direction. I leaned forward slightly, resting my elbows on the railing and let my foot tap softly against the wall below, grounding myself in the moment.Then I heard her voice, calm but unmistakable."I'm here, Emily."I turned slowly and saw Denise standing by the rooftop door, arms folded across her chest. She closed the door behi
EMILY’S POVThe next morning arrived slowly, dragging the weight of a long, restless night behind it. I hadn’t slept, not really. I had tried to close my eyes, but every time I did, my thoughts spiraled into every dark possibility.Every time Florida shifted in her sleep or made a sound, I sat up straight, my heart hammering. I couldn’t let my guard down, not with Denise still hovering around, pretending to be a mother.She had stayed in the hospital too, though her commitment was nothing but a performance. She had fallen asleep in the waiting area shortly after midnight, curled in a blanket like someone completely at peace. I watched her through the ward glass.Peaceful sleep wasn’t something that should belong to someone who had treated her child the way she did. Meanwhile, I sat at Florida’s bedside, watching her chest rise and fall, brushing strands of hair from her forehead, whispering soft reassurances she couldn’t hear.I kept asking myself one question: How did we get here?Fr
EMILY’S POVAfter the heated confrontation in the hospital office, I couldn’t stay there another minute. My heart still pounded from the altercation, and my thoughts were tangled in a whirlwind of anger and concern for Florida.I needed to regroup, think clearly, and prepare myself to be by her side not just as a visitor, but as her guardian.Denise had proven once again that she didn’t deserve that title. From this moment forward, I wasn’t leaving Florida’s side. Not for a second.I left the hospital without a word, ignoring the curious stares of the hospital staff and visitors. I flagged down a cab and directed the driver straight home, the ride feeling longer than it truly was as I replayed everything that had happened over the past few hours in my head.The moment I arrived home, I didn’t waste any time. I headed straight to my bedroom, my steps hurried and focused. I pulled open the closet and bent down to open the lower drawer.Inside was a black duffel bag that I hadn’t used in
EMILY’S POV“Denise, how could you?” I thundered, my voice shaking with raw rage. “And you call yourself her mother!”My entire body trembled as I fought to contain the fury pulsing through me like fire in my veins. My fists were clenched at my sides, and I could feel my breath catching in my throat. I wasn’t just angry, I was devastated, sickened by her cruelty.Her eyes widened, her lips parted slightly in shock. For the first time since this whole mess began, she actually looked unsure. But that flicker of hesitation vanished just as quickly as it appeared, replaced with her usual burning hatred. She stood up from her chair, fists balled, and with one sharp movement, she swung her hand toward my face.But I was faster.I struck her first, again.My palm connected with her other cheek, causing her to stumble slightly to the side. The smack echoed loudly in the quiet office, and I could hear the collective gasp from the doctors and nurses in the room. No one dared to interfere yet.“
EMILY’S POV“Sweetie,” I whispered softly, trying not to sound too alarmed. “What are you trying to say?”I reached out and held her small hands gently in mine. Her palms were clammy, her fingers slightly trembling. Her eyes, already glossy, brimmed with unshed tears and just like that, the dam broke. She burst into tears right in front of me, her body shaking with each breathless sob.“I want to apologize to you for hurting you,” she whimpered through her tears, her tiny voice fragile and raw. “I’m sorry. I’m very sorry…”My heart clenched tightly at her apology, an apology she didn’t even need to make. I wrapped my arms around her and held her to my chest, gently rocking her like a fragile porcelain doll.“Sweetie, no,” I whispered, my voice barely steady. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Not a single thing. You don’t need to apologize for anything. None of this is your fault.”She pulled back slightly from the hug, sniffling as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand.“My mom…”