Chapter Fifty Six

Emma stood frozen, her breath catching in her throat like a gazelle bewildered by headlights. Another knock reverberated through the room. Was it the cleaner? A quick glance at the wall clock revealed it was nearing precisely 8:30 am. She had lost all concept of time, and the risk of being discovered had slipped her mind.

She crouched under Mr. Ethan's colossal marble desk, waiting with a hand pressed to her mouth to muffle her rapid breathing. When the door remained shut and no footsteps sounded, Emma breathed a sigh of relief as she quickly returned the objects to their original positions.

With care, she placed the ring back in the drawer, using the bobby pin she had previously used to secure the lock before tucking it back into her hair.

Satisfied with the desk's appearance and everything back in its place, she tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear against it, listening for any signs of movement. The hallway was silent.

With a quiet exhale of relief, she unlocked and gingerly clo