Chapter 85
Her assistant promised to start searching as soon as possible. Till then Emma closed all the curtains so that even a small crack was not available for poking eyes. In her home, she acted very cautiously and she knew each step and every movement “catches other’s attraction.
While getting breakfast for her kids, she thought of Jaden. He hadn’t called or messaged her since yesterday and had been avoiding her. The silence was a heavy weight on her, filling her chest with a sense of foreboding she couldn’t shake off. Jaden had been her anchor in so many ways–a friend who stood by her when others had turned away. She cherished his presence in her life more than words could say, and she wouldn’t bear losing him.
But deep inside, at that very moment, she knew she had made a mistake. She should have let him know in advance. Her reasons for not being able to do so included threats, leaks, and attempts at minimizing risks, but by not telling him, she had caused him further pain.
She put the breakfast tray aside, reached for her phone, and typed another message: “Good morning, Jaden. Plz pick my
calls. Let’s talk.”
Her fingers hovered above the screen as she hit send. She stared at the message, hoping and praying for a reply to come through. She could not stand this rift between them, especially now, when she needed his presence more than ever.
Emma set her phone down and leaned against the kitchen counter, closing her eyes for a moment. The weight of the last 24 hours pressed down on her, threatening to pull her under. Between Emily’s condition, Ethan’s health, the media frenzy, and now Jaden’s silence, it felt as though the world was collapsing around her.
But she couldn’t fall apart. Not now. Not when her children needed her strength most of all. She straightened up, took a deep breath, and plunged her attention into making breakfast, forcing herself back to small, tangible tasks.
The hours chugged on, and her phone didn’t say much as she had expected, no message came from Jaden. Her composure, which she refused to show, chipped with each minute of his silence. Inside her heart was screaming for reassurance so much, though for the kids, she put up a face. All she could now do was wait and hope he would find it in his heart to forgive
her.
Annie’s eyes scanned her phone in trembling motions as she took in the barrage of furious comments and headlines regarding Adam Hershel. The Internet had blown up overnight, the world was cursing him a monster. Terms such as “criminal,” “heartless,” and “danger to society” flooded the comment section of every article. Protesters were at his prison, demanding justice.
Annie bit down hard on her bottom lip, and the indentation from her teeth marked small red welts on her skin. The gnawing of regret inside her was twisting her stomach into knots She hadn’t wanted things to get so completely out of hand. All she’d intended was to make Emma jump–some harmless little move, just to make her remember who was really the boss in this twisted game the two played. But now the storm she had nleashed seemed about to consume everything around her, herself included.
Her heart was racing as the full implications of what she had done began to hit her. It would only be a matter of time before someone made the connection between her and Adam Hershel. The threads of their association may have been slight, but they were still there, hanging precariously in the open for anyone who was determined enough to follow. And then the public would find out. Annie shuddered at the thought.
She glanced out of the window, her eyes darting around nervously as though someone might already be out there, waiting to expose her. The possibilities spun before her mind: how long did she have before someone pieced it all together a day, a few hours? She couldn’t risk it.
Instantly, her throat had thickened, and she whipped her head from side to side No. That’s not going to happen. I won’t let it happen I’ve worked too hard to let everything fall apart how.
She stood, pacing the length of her room, her heels clicking shly on the floor. Her head was a turbulent mess, but one
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Chapter 85
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thing was crystal clear: she had to move–and fast. She couldn’t afford to sit idly by and wait for some disaster to strike. She had to take control over the narrative before it engulfed her.
Annie reached for her phone and started typing furiously.
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