Emma POV
I could not sleep in Daniel's house.
The room was wide and silent. The curtains did not move. I sat on the bed and stared at the window. My chest felt tight. I should not be here. I should be with Sophia. Or with Ethan.
The thought hurt. Ethan had forced me into this marriage, used me, humiliated me. Still, a part of me pulled toward him, like a wound I kept touching.
The door opened. Daniel walked in with a tray. Steam rose from the soup.
"You have not eaten," he said.
"I am not hungry."
"You need food," he said, placing it on the table. "You have been through a lot. You need strength."
"I cannot eat."
He sat across from me. "You are safe here. You do not have to look back anymore."
His voice was calm, but his eyes were not. They watched me too closely.
"I need to see my sister," I said.
"She is fine. The doctors are watching her. I made sure she is cared for."
"You went there?"
"Yes. I wanted to see what you were facing."
"She is not a burden," I said.
He raised his hands. "I did not mean it like that. I want to help you."
"You have done enough," I said, standing. "I need to go back."
He stood too. "To him?"
I said nothing.
"He will find you," Daniel said. "He will hurt you again."
"He is still my husband."
"Then let him come. I am not afraid of him."
"Do not say that. You do not know him."
"I am not afraid of Ethan Ryder. He does not own you. You deserve someone who sees you."
"You do not know me."
"I know enough. I saw how you looked at him, waiting for him to care. He never will."
"You are wrong."
"Am I? He threw a party after your wedding. You were crying. He was smiling with other women."
"You do not understand."
"Then help me understand."
"You would not."
Silence filled the room.
"You can stay here," he said. "No one will hurt you."
I looked at the soup. It was cold. "I do not belong here."
"You belong somewhere safe. That is here."
He left. The door closed.
I stood still. Safe. The word felt false.
When the house was quiet, I took my phone. My hands shook as I called.
"Emma?" Adrian's voice was low and tired.
"It is me."
"Where are you? Ethan is losing his mind. He has been looking all night."
"Do not tell him you heard from me," I said.
"You are making this worse."
"I am safe. That is all you need to know."
"Safe? With who?"
"That I can't disclose Adrian." I said shaking.
"You need to tell me Emma."
"His name is Daniel."
"He's my childhood friend. He'll never hurt me Adrian." I said tearing up.
"You cannot trust him Emma. He said.
"He helped me. I have a place to stay."
"And what will he want for it? People do not help for free."
"I had no choice. I could not breathe in that house."
"You think leaving will fix it? Ethan has not slept. He has not worked. He is tearing the city apart."
"Why does that matter to me?"
"You tell me. You still care."
"I do not."
"Then why are you crying?"
"I do not know."
"You cannot live between fear and guilt. You need to face him. Or he will never stop."
"I cannot. Not yet."
"Then tell me where you are. I will come."
"No. Do not come. Do not tell him."
"You want me to lie to him."
"I want you to protect me."
Silence. Then his voice came back, steady. "I will, for a while. But promise me something."
"What?"
"Do not trust Daniel too much."
"I promise."
"Good. And Emma?"
"Yes?"
"Ethan does not hate you."
"You do not know that."
"I do. He is angry because he cares."
The line went quiet.
I sat on the floor with the phone in my hands. I wanted to believe him. But Ethan's love hurt. It always did.
I lay on the bed. The night felt endless. Every sound made me flinch.
And still, I heard his name in my head.
ETHAN POV
I had not slept.
The house was wrecked. Broken glass. Papers everywhere. My hand still hurt from punching the wall.
Adrian sat on the couch, watching me pace. "You need to stop," he said.
"Where is she?"
"I do not know."
"You are lying."
He looked tired. "You think I would hide her from you?"
"Yes."
"Then search me."
I stared at him. "You think this is a joke?"
"No. I think you are losing control."
"Do not tell me about control. She walked out of my house."
"You gave her a reason."
I grabbed his collar. "Say that again."
He did not move. "You scared her. She left because she could not breathe around you."
I let him go. My voice dropped. "She is my wife."
"And she is a person, not a possession."
"She belongs here."
"No, Ethan. You belong to her, if you still have a chance."
I turned away. My chest burned. "She will come back."
Adrian stood. "Not if you keep chasing her like prey."
"Where is she?"
"I do not know."
I hit the table. "Then find out."
He looked at the mess. "You think this will make her love you?"
"I never asked her to love me."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want her here."
"Why?"
I looked at him. "Because I cannot breathe without her."
He was silent.
My phone buzzed. A message. Unknown number.
"She is safe. Do not call again."
"Who is he?"
My hands clenched. "He has her."
Adrian stepped closer. "Do not do anything stupid."
"He took my wife."
"She left with him. That is not the same thing."
"It is to me."
"You hurt her. She ran. That is not kidnapping."
"He touched what is mine."
Adrian sighed. "You do not own her."
I looked him in the eye. "Then why does she still wear my ring?"
He had no answer.
I grabbed my jacket. "Find out where he is."
"And if I do?"
"I will bring her home."
"She will hate you for it."
"She already does."
I left before he could speak. The air outside was cold. My car waited at the gate.
I sat inside and closed my eyes. I saw her face. Her tears. The way she said my name before she left.
I started the engine. "You can run, Emma," I said to myself. "But I will find you."
The tires screamed against the road as I drove into the night.