Chapter 195: Twisted Realities

Emma's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at her phone, her thumb hovering over Rachel's contact. The weight of the secret she carried, the unbearable truth she had just learned, pressed down on her like a leaden cloak. She had been pacing the small hotel room for hours, her mind racing in circles as she tried to make sense of everything that had happened. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Alexander's face, heard the regret in his voice when he told her it was a mistake. A mistake. That’s what he called it. But how could it be a mistake when it tore her world apart? The urge to talk to someone, to share the pain gnawing at her insides, was overwhelming. She had thought about calling Rachel a hundred times but always stopped herself. How could she burden her friend with something so ugly? But tonight, the loneliness was too much to bear. She needed to hear Rachel’s voice, needed to know that someone was still in her corner. With a deep breath, she pressed the call button.