She drove in the sweltering heat, encountering traffic halfway to her destination. After five minutes, the congested road cleared, and she hit the accelerator. After what felt like forever, she reached the home of her childhood, a magnificent house with multiple stories and floor-to-ceiling windows on each level. When she stepped inside, she saw her father, Christopher Smith, settled in his favorite armchair in the living room. Claudia, her adoptive mother, sat close by, deep in conversation with him. “Dad.” Christopher rose from his seat, and Claudia mirrored his movement. They stood there, watching, waiting for her to reach them. It had been ages since she had seen her parents, and Emerald missed them. She rushed toward her father to give him a kiss on the cheek. Slap! The sound echoed in the living room, shattering the warmth she had hoped for. Emerald staggered back, her breath catching in her throat as she met her father's cold and unforgiving glare. “Are you out of your
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