Chapter 92:Gifts and Confrontations

(Scarlett's POV) Emma had been babbling nonstop since we left the retuarant. “Seriously, Scarlett, you should’ve seen the way Daniel acted when Sophie confronted him at the last council meeting. It was priceless—like a wolf caught with his tail between his legs!” Her laughter was infectious, and I found myself smiling, though my mind was elsewhere. I glanced at her, briefly amused by her joy, but my thoughts wandered to other matters. They always did these days. The strain of running the healing center, dealing with Sarah’s relentless guilt trips, and Grace’s increasingly desperate antics weighed heavily on me. Dinner had been satisfying, though short-lived. Emma had pulled out her usual charm and humor as we ate at our favorite diner, but I felt the churning within me—a familiar mix of anticipation and irritation. By the time we left and I bid Emma goodbye, the evening was winding down, and all I wanted was to head home—or so I thought. When I returned to my treatment center, th