All Chapters of RECLAIMING EMMA: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Emma's POVThe air was thick, and suffocating, smoke billowed in twisting plumes, obscuring the bright afternoon sun. Emma stumbled through the chaos, her breaths shallow and ragged as acrid fumes filled her lungs.Her heartbeat thundered in her chest, a frantic drumbeat that matched the disharmonious sounds of screams and sirens echoing in the distance."Help!"A voice cried out, distant yet piercing, cutting through the chaos. Emma turned, her hands trembling, the voice seemed familiar, tugging at the edges of her memory, but the swirling haze made it impossible to see.The ground beneath her feet was uneven, littered with shards of glass, chunks of debris, and the scorched remains of what once were lives."Emma!"The voice called her name again and this time, it was sharper and more desperate.She squinted, her eyes burning from the smoke, through the haze, she could make out a figure, a man, his silhouette outlined by flickering flames, it was Jaxon."Jaxon."She screamed, her vo

Emma's POVThe faint echo of footsteps grew louder, each sound like the ticking of a clock winding down.My grip on Jeff's arm tightened, my pulse a frantic drumbeat in my ears. Across from me, Mrs. Williams stood rigid, clutching the edge of the desk as if it were the only thing keeping her grounded."Stay behind me." Jeff whispered, his voice firm but soothing, a sharp contrast to the chaos in my head.Every creak and groan of the office seemed heightened, every shadow more scary.I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the darkened glass window, I was wide-eyed, trembling, vulnerable. This wasn’t me, I wasn’t supposed to be this helpless.The door creaked open, and I stopped breathing. A shadow stretched across the floor like a predator stalking its prey, my heart hammered against my ribcage as Jeff stepped forward, shielding me.“Who’s there?” Jeff demanded, his voice sharp, cutting through the tense silence.A figure stumbled into the room, and for a terrifying second, I was sure

Chapter 25Emma’s POVThe next three days felt like stepping into a different world, one filled with laughter, love, and moments I hadn’t dared to dream of for a long time.Jeff had planned everything down to the tiniest detail, creating an adventure that was as magical for the twins, as it was healing for me.Our first stop was the Aspen Zoo, nestled in a scenic valley surrounded by snow covered mountains. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine, and the twins’ excitement was infectious as we passed through the entrance gates.“Look Mummy, it's a tiger.” Anna squealed, pointing toward the enclosure where a majestic Bengal tiger lay sprawled under a heat lamp, its amber eyes lazily surveying the crowd.Jason, ever the curious one, pressed his face against the glass of the reptile house, his breath fogging up the surface as he stared at a massive green anaconda, “Whoa, look at this snake. Daddy do you think it could eat a whole deer in one bite?”Jeff crouched beside him, hi

Emma’s POVThe morning sunlight filtered through the blinds of my new apartment, a modest two-bedroom in a quieter part of the city. It wasn’t what I envisioned when Jeff and I planned our life together, but it was mine now, and it was safe.Yet even surrounded by the soft hum of normalcy, my chest still ached with lingering fear. The memory of Jason’s frightened eyes, his trembling voice as he recounted his ordeal on the beach, refused to fade.The kids were adjusting, though not without resistance. Jason and Anna missed the sprawling space of Jeff’s house, the backyard where they played tag, and their his laughter echoing through the hallways.For them, this move was confusing and unfair, but I couldn’t explain the real reason we’d left.How could I tell them that staying with Jeff felt like keeping them attached to a storm? That every glance over my shoulder and every pounding in my chest reminded me how close I’d come to losing Jason?Jason sat cross-legged on the carpet, coloring

Emma’s POVThe sharp, sterile smell of antiseptic filled my nose as I walked down the hallway of the hospital the next morning. The scent was a constant reminder of where I was and why.It wasn’t a place I wanted to become familiar with, but life had other plans. My hands were full, a bag of breakfast sandwiches and a tray holding two steaming coffees.Behind me, Jason and Anna followed, their little feet padding against the linoleum floor. Jason clutched his favorite stuffed dinosaur, his small hands gripping it tightly, while Anna held onto my free hand, her curiosity evident in her wide eyes.Jeff’s room was just ahead, the number etched in my mind. As we approached, I paused for a moment, glancing down at the kids.“Remember,” I said gently, crouching to their level, “Daddy needs us to be calm, okay? No jumping on him, even though I know you’re excited.”Anna nodded solemnly, her curls bouncing with the motion, while Jason looked down at his dinosaur, whispering something to it. Sa