Chapter 38 Between Trust And Duty

Ethan’s voice echoed in the hallways as he rushed toward Emily, his face pale with worry, his brow furrowed in frustration. The moment she stepped out of the car, his body seemed to exhale a tension he didn’t realize he was holding. Emily could see the raw fear in his eyes, something deeper than anger, something that made her chest tighten with guilt. “Where the hell have you been?” His voice was sharp, but there was an undercurrent of something more vulnerable beneath his tone—something desperate. He gripped her arms lightly but with a sense of urgency, as if he feared she might slip away again.