Chapter 49
Emily’s POV
It’s been two months since the fire. Two long months since my home, the place Zane and I had built so many memories, was reduced to ashes. Sometimes, when I wake up in the middle of the night, I can still smell the smoke, feel the oppressive heat of the flames closing in on me. Even though the fire is gone, the fear lingers.
Things have finally settled down. Or at least, that’s what I’ve been telling myself. I’ve spent the last few weeks picking up the pieces of my life, trying to convince myself that the worst is behind me. The police, however, don’t seem to think so.
They still check in from time to time, reminding me to stay vigilant. They believe the person responsible for the fire hasn’t given up. But deep down, I hope he’s moved on, that whoever tried to kill me has found another. target.
The only thing keeping me sane through all of this has been Frank. He’s my anchor, the one constant in this mess. He’s kind and attentive, always. making sure I’m okay even when I tell him I’m fine. Our relationship has grown stronger through the chaos.
We even decided to live together recently, taking that next step. I never thought I’d feel this way again, especially after everything with Keith, but with Frank, I feel safe. I feel loved.
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And our sex life? Let’s just say it’s everything I didn’t know I needed. He’s so good to me, in every way.
Tonight, Nina invited me out to the club to celebrate. “Girl, you and Frank are basically glued together these days,” she teased when she called me. “You need a night out to remember who you were before he came along!”
I laughed, but I knew she was right. Frank and I have been inseparable lately, and a night out with Nina sounded like exactly what I needed.
Since Frank and Keith’s fight, Keith has stayed far away from me. He’s finally listening to me, leaving my life alone. The only contact we have now is through lawyers–everything to do with Zane is communicated. that way.
It’s a little sad, but honestly, it’s been a relief. I haven’t had the stress of Keith hovering over me, trying to control everything.
Nina and I sat at the bar, sipping on cocktails and catching up. The energy in the club was electric, the music thumping through the floor, vibrating in my chest. For the first time in a while, I felt like I could actually let go. Nina was in the middle of one of her usual over–the–top stories, gesturing animatedly with her hands.
“So then, Tyler looks at me like I’m the crazy one, when really, he was the one who tried to fix the sink with a spatula! A spatula, Emily!” Nina’s voice was incredulous, and I couldn’t help but burst out laughing, nearly choking on my drink.
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“He did not,” I gasped between giggles. “Tell me he didn’t actually try that.”
“Oh, he did. And guess who got soaked when the pipe burst?” She grinned, raising her glass in mock triumph. “Me, of course.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “Remind me to never ask him to fix anything.”
Nina took a long sip of her cocktail, leaning in with a playful smirk. “Speaking of fixing things, how’s Frank? Fixing things in the bedroom. too, I hope?” she teased, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.
I felt my cheeks warm, but I laughed it off. “Let’s just say everything’s in working order.”
Nina snorted. “Good for you, girl! You deserve someone who knows what they’re doing. God knows I’ve had my fair share of clueless guys.”
I rolled my eyes, still grinning. “You’re terrible, Nina.”
“Hey, I call it like I see it.” She winked before standing up, smoothing out
her dress.
“Alright, I’m off to the restroom. Don’t you dare finish my cocktail while I‘ m gone!” She wagged her finger at me playfully, her grin wide as she disappeared into the crowd, leaving me smiling in her wake.
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Time passed, and I realized Nina had been gone for a while. I checked my phone–fifteen minutes. Then twenty. That familiar feeling of anxiety crept in, tightening around my chest. She wouldn’t just leave, not without her phone or wallet, which were still sitting on the table next to me.
I stood up, scanning the club for any sign of her. Nothing. I walked toward the restroom, pushing my way through the crowd, but when I got there, it was empty. My heart started to race, dread rising up inside me.
I hurried back to the bar and caught the bartender’s attention. “Hey, did you see my friend, the woman I was with? Did she come back here?”
The bartender furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, I saw her head out the back door about 10 minutes ago.”
Out the back door? Why would she go out there without her things? My stomach churned with worry as I quickly made my way toward the back
of the club.
The alley behind the building was dark, the only light coming from a flickering streetlamp at the end of the road. “Nina?” I called out, my voice sounding small in the emptiness.
There was no response, just the distant hum of the city beyond. Panic gripped me. Something wasn’t right. I fumbled for my phone, quickly. dialing Tyler’s number. The phone rang, and just as I heard his voice on the other end, something hard smashed into the back of my head.
Pain exploded behind my eyes, and I fell forward, the world spinning out of control as darkness swallowed me whole.
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When I woke up, the first thing I felt was the burning ache in my shoulders. My arms were pulled above me, tied tightly with rough rope.
I was hanging from the ceiling, swaying slightly with every breath I took.. Panic surged through me as I blinked against the harsh light, trying to piece together what had happened.
“Finally awake,” a voice said, low and mocking.
I turned my head, my vision still blurry, and saw a man standing in the doorway. He was tall, blond, and looked to be in his thirties. His expression was cold, detached, like this was just another job to him.
“You’re not getting out of this one,” he said, his voice calm in a way that made my skin crawl. “This time, you’re definitely going to die.”
Fear shot through me like a jolt of electricity, but I tried to stay calm. “Please… I’ll give you money, whatever you want. Just let me go,” I begged, my voice shaking.
He laughed, a dark sound that sent chills down my spine. “It’s not about money, sweetheart. It’s never been about money.”
The door behind him creaked open, and my heart nearly stopped. I watched as the blond man straightened, his posture becoming rigid.
Then, slowly, another figure stepped into the room. The blond man. straightened immediately, his posture tense, almost reverent. It was clear
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-this was his boss, the one pulling all the strings.
But as the figure moved closer, stepping into the light, I felt my heart stop. My breath caught in my throat, and the room seemed to spin around me. The world tilted as I stared, disbelief coursing through me.
It was him!
The one person I never thought could be behind this. The one person I least expected to become my enemy.
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