The Storm Begins with a Whisper

All eyes instinctively turned to Emma.

Emma stood there in a daze. Before she could figure out what was going on, Jamie called out in a panic, "Sandra!"

Sandra had fainted after seeing the red text. Wesley's face went pale. He picked her up and carried her out of the room to the hospital.

Emma's mind went completely blank. It wasn't until a sharp slap landed across her face that she suddenly snapped back to reality.

Adam was furious, glaring at her with a vein throbbing at his temple. "Where did I go wrong? How did you turn out like this? How could you curse her like that when she's already so ill?"

Emma stumbled back a few steps, knocking over the champagne tower by accident. Alcohol was spilled everywhere.

She fell into the pile of broken glass, wincing in pain as she explained, "It wasn't me."

Adam snapped, "Shut up! You've always been jealous of the attention Sandra gets, but she isn't going to be around much longer. How can you be so heartless? Take this ungrateful wretch out of my sight and lock her up."

…

Emma was shoved into a dark room. She had been afraid of the dark since she was a kid, and her claustrophobia made it worse.

The moment the door slammed shut, she felt like she couldn't breathe. Darkness closed in on her from every direction like a rising tide.

She pounded on the door with her bloodied hands, leaving vivid streaks behind. "Open up. I'm begging you. Let me out."

But there was only silence from the other side. She slowly slid down onto the floor, completely drained. Her chest tightened with each rapid breath.

She had no idea how long had passed. Just as she was about to black out, the door opened, and she crawled out in a rush.

The next moment, a bucket of foul salt water poured down on her. A second bucket followed, and then the third.

Emma choked as she gasped for air. Her vision went fuzzy, but she still managed to make out a familiar figure by the door—Wesley.

He stood on the line between light and shadow, watching coldly as his men threw bucket after bucket of salt water at her. He never once told them to stop until the last bucket was empty.

He slowly walked over to her, bent down, and wiped her cheek with a silk handkerchief. But his words were sharp and cruel. "Sandra is awake. She doesn't blame you for cursing her and forgives you. She even said it wasn't really you who did it, but you were possessed."

He paused. "I had my men prepare the salt water for you. It's supposed to ward off evil spirits, but it won't do anything unless you're soaked in it for 72 hours."

A hint of horror flickered in Emma's eyes. She desperately grabbed Wesley's hand. "I had nothing to do with the crimson words. You have to believe me."

He slowly pried her fingers off his hand, cruel to the last. "Actions have consequences, Emma. Even a child gets that."

Feeling the last bit of warmth leaving her hand, she tried one last time to say something, but it just sounded pitiful and pleading. "Please don't leave me here. I'm afraid of the dark."

His gaze was icy. "What about Sandra? When you wrote the message, did it ever cross your mind that she might be scared too?"

Emma momentarily zoned out, lost in the memory of a thunderstorm years ago. The power went out, and she curled up in the corner, shaking in fear.

Wesley filled the house with candlelight, wrapped her in his arms, and gently rubbed her back. "Don't be scared, Em. I'm right here."

But that same man was the one shoving her into a living nightmare now.

A brutal, wrenching pain seized her belly without warning. She doubled over, her hand flying to her stomach. Then, she felt a warm liquid trickling down her thighs.

It dawned on her that this could be a miscarriage. Trembling, she grabbed his pants, her voice cracking with panic. "I'm bleeding, Wesley. I think I'm losing the baby. I'm begging you. You have to take me to the hospital."

Wesley stopped in his tracks and frowned. "You're not even pregnant. How could you be having a miscarriage?"

Emma was in so much pain that she could barely see. "It's true. I have your baby inside me."

He didn't buy it and snapped before leaving, "Enough! I'll come back for you in three days."

A broken whimper tore from her lips. She scraped her nails against the ground, but her desperate effort wasn't enough to stop him from walking away. Her trembling hand grabbed the empty air before giving up and falling.

She collapsed into the pool of blood. Before fainting, she laughed bitterly.

In that moment, Emma finally saw Wesley for who he truly was.