Seven months pregnant, Emily stood in the middle of her own baby shower when Linda suddenly tore the shawl from her shoulders.
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Chapter 16 / 17
Chapter 16
Emily stopped wearing shawls.
Not immediately.
At first she wore them even when the weather was warm.
Then one afternoon she came downstairs in a sleeveless dress.
No announcement.
No symbolism.
I noticed anyway.
The bruises were gone.
She caught me looking.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
She smiled faintly.
“Good.”
Luca slept in her arms.
No engraved heir blankets.
No ceremonial bassinet.
Just a baby.
I thought about the shower.
Linda yanking the shawl away.
The marks.
Emily asking me to take her home.
That day, I thought rescuing her meant getting her out of the room.
I know better now.
May you like
Leaving is the first part.
Undoing what the room taught you takes longer.
