Emily left the cafe quietly, her heart pounding as she walked past Mark and the woman. She didn’t want to risk them noticing her, so she kept her head low and her pace steady. Outside, the cool air hit her face, but it did little to calm the storm raging in her mind.
When she got home, the scent of her mother’s cooking greeted her. Linda was bustling around the kitchen, humming a tune, her cheerful demeanor a stark contrast to Emily’s simmering anger. Emily sat down for dinner, forcing herself to act normal as her mom talked about plans for a family vacation.