Emily wanted to keep talking with Georgia, but she had to be home before six—she didn’t want to risk Aaron noticing she was out and stirring up trouble. Georgia made plans with Emily to invite over next time to see her baby.
On the way back, Emily pretended to stop by a clothing boutique, but she actually ducked into a different shop to buy a new phone and SIM card.
That night, Aaron didn’t come home.
It felt like her heart had sunk to the bottom of a lake. Was he not even pretending anymore? No matter how badly they’d argued before, no matter how late it got, Aaron always came home. Maybe not to the master bedroom—but at least the study.
But now? Nothing. Not a trace.
Emily barely slept. She’d been holding onto Georgia’s advice, planning to tell Aaron—again—about the pregnancy. But
