2

“I can’t believe it,” Nina said after she finished drinking her champagne. “How did you even endure something like that? Emery, that family’s rotten from the core. And you actually wasted five years of your life ving away just to attract their approval.”

The club lights flickered above them, pulsing with the beat that shook the floors. Emery sat at a high–top table near the bar, her untouched ss of juice sweating beside her. She didn’t even remember ordering it. Her usual drink was something with more of a kick. But tonight, something in her gut told her not to. Nina didn’t question it. Instead, she raised her flute of champagne and downed thest sip before setting it aside.

“You’re doing the smart thing,” Nina said, nodding at the juice. “I mean, we still don’t know the result. Best not to mess with it.”

Emery didn’t respond. Her fingers wrapped around the cold ss, but she didn’t lift it. She didn’t really want to drink. Not tonight. Her thoughts were too loud.

Nina leaned closer. “But seriously. You were so damn dumb for staying with Samuel that long. I told you. I always told you. But what’s the point of ming you now?”

Emery gave a half–shrug. She wasn’t going to argue. Nina had warned her–repeatedly.

mean, five years, Em. Five! That’s like a master’s degree in humiliation,” Nina muttered, shaking her head before letting out a dramatic sigh. “Anyway. You saw that guy again.”

Emery blinked. “What guy?”

“Will you stop pretending? I’m talking about the one who keeps stalking you.”

Emery sat back. “Logan’s not stalking me.”

“Logan?” Nina raised an eyebrow. “So his name’s Logan?”

Emery’s lips parted. “That’s not the point.”

–nt or – -IT

“Oh, it’s not?” Nina crossed her arms, smirking. “You’re on a first–name basis now. You sure that’s not the point?b” /b

“He told me he had business at the mall,” Emery said.

“And you believed him?b” /bNina asked.

Emery didn’t answer. Of course, she didn’t. Logan’s exnation was thin, at best. But he had been there when she needed someone. She remembered the moment he caught her. The way he didn’t flinch. How bhe /bstood between her and Samuel like it was nothing.

She let out a breath. Earlier, Logan simply told her that he had some business to attend to and he needed to go. Then he left without waiting for her response! The least she could do was pretend she believed him.

Nina watched her for a moment, then smiled. “Look, I’m not saying marry the guy, but can you at least live a little? You don’t have work tomorrow. You don’t have to wake up early. You don’t even have a schedule anymore. Come on. Let’s enjoy the night for once.”

Emery hesitated.

“I mean, you haven’t been to a club in, bwhat/bb, /bba /byearb? /bTwob?/b” Nina added, already standing.

Emery slowly nodded. “Alright.”

That was all Nina needed. She grabbed Emery’s wrist and pulled her out of the chair without giving her time to think twice. Emery barely had time to set her juice down before Nina dragged her into the thick of the crowd on the dance floor.

bThe /blights were din but colorful. The music was loud enough to make her forget how quiet her thoughts had been moments ago. People were already moving to the beat, bodies bpressed /bclose,ughter echoing in bursts.

Nina spun around and held Emery’s hand. b“/bJust danceb.” /b

So she did. Awkward bat /bfirst. bThen /bslowlyb, /bher body started to bmove /bwith the rhythm. Fler heels didn’t bother her. Her head didn’t ache. For the first time in weeks, she let her mind go quiet.

After what bfelt /blike forever, the btwo /bfinally decided to go back home.

12:35 AM P P.

“Let’s wait here… the car’sing.”

The air outside the bar was thick with humidity and the fading buzz of music spilling out through the doors. Emery and Nina stepped out onto the streetlight–washed sidewalk, heels clicking against the concrete.

It was just past 1 a.m., and the area still held some life. A couple leaned into each other near a wall,ughing too loudly. Two men stood by a food truck, arguing over thest order of fries. A girl in silver boots sat on the curb, head tilted back, talking to the sky.

Emery stood beside Nina, arms crossed. She nced up the street and checked her phone. “It says the driver’s five minutes away.”

Nina leaned against a metal pole and kicked off her heels, barefoot now, holding the shoes in one hand. “God, my feet. Why do I wear these thingsb?/bb” /b

“Because they make your legs look good,” Emery said, barely paying attention. She was scanning the road. This neighborhood was usually safe. Upscale. Familiar. They’d been to this bar a dozen times before. Nothing ever happened here.

“True,” Nina mumbled. She fished out her phone and squinted at the screen. “Ugh. I shouldn’t have had thatst drink. I feel like I swallowed a disco ball.”

Emery snorted, then exhaled slowly. The night air felt thick against her skin, but it was quiet enough to hear her own heartbeat finally calm.

Then she heard it.

A sound–off–rhythm, unnatural. Like a sharp engine rev in the distance. Quick. Then again. Louder. Closer.

Emery looked toward the road, eyes narrowing. The headlights appeared too fast–too direct. They weren’t slowing.

She blinked. No. They weren’t just moving fast.

They were aiming at them.

Her breath caught. Her legs moved before her brain could catch up

Nina barely turned.

“Ninab!/bb” /b

Emery shoved her hard toward the side, just bas /bthe sound of screeching tires burst through the stillnessb. /bA horn red. Rubber burned against the asphalt.

She felt the bheat /bof the headlights on her skin.

Then her body tensed just bas /bstrong arms grabbed her and pulied—hard,

The world tilted, the sidewalk vanished beneath her feetb, /band her heels scraped against the curb.

The car missed her by inches, but it didn’t stop or swerve; it just kept going, speeding down the road, past the bar, and around the corner—until it mmed into a building with a loud, cracking thud that shook the pavement.

Meanwhile, Emerynded hard against something solid, her back hitting a chest bas /bthe air left her lungs in one sharp exhale.

Nina screamed her name bas /bpeople nearby shoutedb, /bba /bbfew /bcursing as they stumbled back in shock.

Emery didn’t move. Her body was still frozen, her heart pounding too fastb, /beyes wide as she tried to process what just happened.

Then she looked up.

She

AD