Chapter 69. Fallen Too Deep

Though she wanted a relationship, Emerald now felt a quiet disappointment creeping over her, making her question everything.

She glanced at the dining table, recalling how Alaric's words had begun to melt the ice around her heart.

She'd taken the first step toward him.

But now…

Emerald was simply relieved she hadn't fallen too deep. It wasn't too late to pull back.

She smiled faintly, pushed aside any lingering emotions, went back to her room, took a long shower, and sat down to finish her manuscript. For her, work still came first.

She whispered to herself, "Alaric, this is for the best."

No expectations, no hurt.

Suddenly, her phone pinged with a text notification. It was from an unknown number.

The message read:

[Baby, I really want to rip off your skirt and fuck you hard on the bed.]

After reading the message, Emerald almost dropped her phone. This wasn't like Alaric's usual joking tone; it felt more like a venomous snak