Emmy gripped the recorder in her hand, holding on so tight her knuckles turned white. She sat there for ages, telling herself to be brave, before finally pressing play.
Tyler’s voice came through, low and steady, telling the story of James’s life. Twenty-eight years of darkness. Twenty-eight years with no light, just endless struggle and pain, fighting all alone.
Emmy listened in silence. Soon, she couldn’t hold back anymore. She curled up on the sofa, burying her face in a pillow as tears flowed, soaking through the fabric in seconds.
Just listening made her heart hurt so much it was hard to breathe. The pain felt like it was tearing her apart from the inside out.
She couldn’t even picture how James survived those years, alone in the dark, nobody to lean on.
As Tyler kept talking, Emmy felt everything she’d ever resented about James crumble away. Anger, blame, any old grudges—gone, just like that. All that was left was a tidal wave of heartbreak for him.
Her heart ached for him, really ached, more than she could ever put into words.
Now, she could even see why he’d used her, why he was so obsessed with getting revenge for Jamie. She understood that kind of stubborn, desperate resolve.
They were both good people, just in different ways. He was tough, unyielding. She was gentle, kind. It shouldn’t have turned out like this. But life seemed to have it out for the good ones, tearing them apart, leaving the survivor to carry the guilt, day after day, night after night.
Emmy didn’t even notice when the recording ended. She just lay there, lost in a sea of sorrow, unable to pull herself out for what felt like forever.
Then, all of a sudden, the baby inside her kicked hard, so hard it made her insides twist with pain.
That brought her back. She sat up, startled.
No, she couldn’t let herself fall apart. Her emotions would affect the baby.
Emmy took slow, deep breaths, trying to calm down, but the tears wouldn’t stop. It was like they had a mind of their own. Her hormones were completely out of control.
She forced herself up and stumbled to the bathroom, splashing her face with cold water again and again. The shock of it finally helped her settle down, little by little. Her mind cleared, reason coming back.
Walking back to the bedroom, her gaze landed on the brown envelope sitting on the desk.
She went over and opened it. Inside were three share transfer agreements. One for her, and two for her children.
The beneficiary names were already filled in, written in careful black ink.
Emmy’s Son.


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