Chapter 46

The familiar warmth of Sophie's home calmed my rushing thoughts as we sat together in her comfortable living room, and I felt lighter. The solace of Willow Creek was a welcome change from the tension that had been rising in New York. Nevertheless, I could sense Sophie watching me, waiting for me to reveal the truth that I had been holding inside.

Sophie began, "So New York," in a quiet but inquisitive tone. "How does life feel in that world?"

I put my hands on my lap and mustered a tiny grin. "It's... intense. Totally different. Strict timetables, large workplaces, and constantly rushing people."

Sophie looked at me and nodded. "And you're actually involved now, aren't you? Running alongside businesspeople and billionaires?"

"Yes," I said, in a slightly too-false tone. I understood that I must appear different to her. "Soph, it's overwhelming. I feel like I don't belong there sometimes. As if I'm simply... lost."

She put a hand on mine and gave it a light squeeze. "Well, don't let it consume you completely. Don't allow them cause you to lose who you are."

Her words grounded me, and I nodded, but I felt a chill go through me. I didn't have to explain that Ethan's secrets had begun to feel like mine, and that I was on the verge of losing myself. The nagging suspicion that he was concealing something enormous plagued me all the time.

"So, how are things between you and Ethan?" Sophie inquired in a tone that was both interested and worried. "Are the two of you together?"

I made myself turn away as my heart skipped a beat. "What do you two mean? It's difficult Soph" I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "We're close. Though it feels like there is a wall separating us, we are closer than I anticipated. He simply retreats whenever I attempt to understand him. And I'm not sure why."

Sophie's eyes softened and she remained mute. "Em, perhaps he's hiding something. Maybe he isn't prepared to tell you everything."

Her remarks resonated too deeply with me, reflecting the persistent sensation that had been bothering me for weeks. But my phone rang before I could answer. My gut knotted as the well-known number appeared on the screen. Agent Richards.

"Do you need to get that?" Sophie looked at the phone and inquired.

"Yes, it is really pretty important," I said, getting to my feet and heading for the window. I inhaled deeply to regain my composure before responding. "Agent Richards."

"Emily," he said in a direct and piercing voice, as though he had been anticipating this call. "I just wanted to say hello. Check to see whether you've got a chance to think about our conversation."

I turned away, lowering my voice as I looked at Sophie, who was watching me from the couch with a worried look on her face. "As I previously stated, Agent Richards, I am unsure of my level of assistance. About Monroe Enterprises, I know very little."

He softened his tone but added a sense of urgency that made me shudder. "Emily," he whispered, "you're underestimating your position. You're on the board. You have access to everything that goes on there."

Feeling protective, I fired back, "But I'm not involved in any of it. I asked for none of this."

Richards exhaled deeply. "Maybe not, but you're tied to it now, whether you like it or not. Emily, this isn't about what you wanted. It has to do with your location. And right now, that's in the middle of something much bigger than you realize."

A wave of frustration swept over me. "You make it sound like I'm guilty of something just by being there. I didn't do anything incorrectly."

"The law doesn't see it that way," he calmly retorted. "Because of your affiliation with Monroe Enterprises, you are also implicated if the business is. That is simply the truth of your circumstances."

His words hung over me like a thick blanket, oppressive and unrelenting. I just stood there in quiet, clutching the phone as though it were an anchor, unsure of how to react.

"You're involved, Emily," Richards added, his tone becoming more acerbic. "You're involved in this whether you want to be or not. And if Monroe Enterprises goes down, you're going down with it. Consider the implications of that."

My heart was racing, and I could feel dread beginning to set in. "So, Agent Richards, what are you saying? That I should just abandon Ethan and Monroe Enterprises?"

He took a moment to process what he had said. "I'm suggesting that it will be more difficult to escape the deeper you go. Emily, you have an option. You could protect yourself from any repercussions and assist us in constructing a case. Or you can stay loyal to Ethan and take on the risk."

Feeling stuck, I stumbled, "I I don't know. I can't just betray him, and I don't know anything."

Richards responded, "Loyalty won't protect you if Monroe Enterprises collapses, even though you might not see it that way now. Emily, consider your future. Consider what is at risk."

I stood there with a sad heart and a thousand ideas running through my head when the connection became silent and I realized he had hung up.

I looked back to Sophie, who was frowning at me. "Is everything alright?" she inquired softly.

I knew it didn't reach my eyes, but I faked a tiny smile. "Just a little more complicated. It's nothing."

She reached out and pulled me into an embrace as if sensing my hesitancy. "Remember who you are, Em. I'm not sure what's going on. Don't allow them to drag you down."

Her words lingered, a reminder of who I was, who I wanted to be. But as I left Sophie's house and made my way back home, Agent Richards's warning echoed in my mind, louder than anything else.