Chapter 22

Sweat and tears soaked her whole body, her clothes clinging to her like she'd just been dragged out of a pool. She looked miserably pitiful. James was kneeling on the floor, like he'd completely lost it, unable to believe what he'd just done. Cold sweat poured from his forehead, and inside, it felt like his chest was being ripped apart—raw, bleeding, unbearable. Emily's cries were getting weaker, lower, until finally, they just stopped altogether. “Em… Emily!” Something snapped him out of it. Still kneeling, he threw himself forward and pulled her frail body into his arms, his jaw trembling uncontrollably. Her brows pinched together tightly, even in unconsciousness her pain was written all over her face. James felt like someone was twisting a knife in his heart over and over again. “Em, wake up… come on, wake up…” He couldn't even keep his teeth from chattering. “Someone! Help! Get the doctor, now!” No one replied. The entire Carter estate had already been cleared out—there wasn't a so