Chapter 54

"I really want you to come with me, Sophie."

With warm colors, pictures on the walls, and the subtle aroma of freshly brewed coffee from earlier, we were seated in the cozy familiarity of her living room. But the request I'd just made hung in the air, a ripple in the usual warmth between us.

Sophie looked at me doubtfully and lifted her eyebrows. "Are you serious, Emily? You just got back to Willow Creek, and now you're heading back to New York?"

Struggling to find the proper words, I nodded. "I realize that sounds abrupt, but I left a lot of things undone. I also don't want to do it alone myself this time."

She sighed, tapping the armrest absently with her fingers. "You say that, but I'm know of what occurs each time you return there. You get pulled in deeper."

I said, feeling a hint of desperation creep into my voice, "That's why I need you with me. I need someone there who isn't involved in all of this, Sophie. Someone who can remind me of the important things in life."

Her face softened, and I could see that her determination was waning. "Em, you know I'm here for you, but New York? That is a world apart. A world to which I do not belong."

I begged, "Just for a few weeks. Just so I can get settled again, and you can go. After that, I'll be alright. But Soph, I truly need you."

A reluctant smile tugged at her lips as she averted her gaze. "All right, all right. But I'm not moving to New York. I will be leaving in a few weeks."

I reached out to clasp her hand as a wave of relief passed over me. "I'm grateful, Sophie. I don't think I can handle this on my own."

We packed up and headed to the airport early the next morning. As I watched Willow Creek disappear into the distance, a weird mix of thrill and horror made my stomach turn. The majority of the flight was silent as we were both deep in meditation. As if learning the clouds and the scenery below by heart, Sophie, who hadn't left Willow Creek in years, spent much of her time gazing out the window.

The city stretched out below us as far as the eye could see as the plane started to descend into New York. Every inch of the familiar skyline, which served as a constant reminder of the complex world I was returning to, made my heart race.

Sophie leaned forward, her face cautious. "So... Feeling prepared?

I made an effort to grin. "As prepared as I will ever be."

We disembarked and wove our way through the bustling crowds in the terminal. The movement and the loudness were quite different from Willow Creek. Sophie's eyes were widening as she took in the enormity of everything, and I could see her looking from one enormous sign to another as if she was having trouble believing that she was actually where she was.

With a voice hardly audible above a whisper, she inquired, "Where are we staying?"

I answered, "I have an apartment set up. Jack helped set it up near the office."

Sophie's eyebrow went up. She said, "Fancy," but I could tell she was just as overwhelmed as I was. "Are you truly comfortable here?"

The question caught me off surprise, so I hesitated. "I'm not sure," I said. "Sometimes I think I could but at other times, Willow Creek is what I miss the most."

We ventured out into the bustling metropolis, and I called a cab. Sophie's wide-eyed awe turned almost funny as we drove through the congested streets, watching the skyscrapers and pedestrians fly by with her nose against the window. Her enthusiasm was contagious for a while, and I found myself unwinding while smiling as she pointed out details that I had hardly noticed in the previous few months.

She shook her head and declared, "This place is crazy. It's like I don't know, like another planet compared to home."

"Yeah," I said, recalling Willow Creek with a twinge of nostalgia. However, my gut knotted when the taxi swerved onto Fifth Avenue, and reality hit me hard.

Sophie eventually stopped talking, her enthusiasm fading as we got closer to Midtown. "Are you sure about this, Emily?" she whispered, her voice hardly audible. "Going back into all of that?"

I inhaled deeply as I looked out the window at the well-known streets. "I must be. Too many things are left undone, and there is too much to sort out."

Her eyes were clouded with apprehension as she glanced at me. "You know I'm here for you, but I just I hope you know what you're doing."

"I don't," I said, my voice barely audible. "But I can't avoid it indefinitely."

Silently, we drove the remainder of the way. By the time we got to Midtown, I felt like everything was weighing down on me, and my heart was racing. Sophie squeezed my hand as we got out of the taxi, seemingly sensing my nervousness and smiling reassuringly.

However, a well-known face with an inscrutable expression appeared from the crowd before we could even move forward. Agent Richards appeared to have been waiting for us as he reclined lazily against a light. My blood froze at the sight of him.

With a smug smirk on his lips, he walked over and stared at me. With ease, he said, "Ms. Clark," glancing briefly at Sophie before focusing entirely on me. "You have now made up your mind about where you stand."

The confidence in his gaze was unsettling, and the words were a veiled accusation. Sophie stiffened next to me, her fingers tightening on mine.

"What do you want, Richards?" I asked, maintaining a steady tone of voice in spite of the knot in my stomach.

With a disconcerting smile that stopped short of his eyes, Richards grinned. With a mocking tone, he responded, "It's funny I ran into ya. Or perhaps I could say that you bumped into me."

I squared my shoulders and looked him in the eye. "I'm here to take care of family matters and business. That's all."

His grin got bigger. "Is that right? Funny how your definition of family business keeps getting messier by the day."

Sophie snapped at me, her eyes hardening. With a rebellious tone, she said, "Back off, she doesn't owe you anything."

With a gleam of enjoyment in his eyes, Richards turned to face Sophie. "And you must be the friend. I'd be careful, Ms. ?"

"Sophie," she murmured in a cold voice. "And you can keep Emily out of whatever you're accusing her of."

Richards shook his head and laughed. "Ah, loyalty. It's always heartwarming to see but misplaced loyalty? Now that's dangerous." His smile vanished from his face as he turned back to face me. "Think of this as your final warning, Ms. Clark. The Monroe empire is in decline and is a house of cards. I suggest you step away before you get buried in the rubble."

My throat constricted, but I made myself stand firm. "I know the risks, Richards. And I know where I stand."

He answered with a tone of finality, "Good. Because there is no going back once this goes public."

He stared at me for a while longer before turning and vanishing into the crowd, leaving Sophie and I standing on the sidewalk with the sounds of the city surrounding us sounding muted and far away.

Sophie let out a breath and relaxed her hold on my arm. "Who was that, Emily?"

With my heart racing, I whispered, "A complication," as I saw Richards' silhouette disappear into the distance. I was shocked by the encounter, and his words weighed on me like a thick mist.

Sophie gave me a worried look as she looked at me. "Em, this is serious, isn't it?"

I swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, Soph, it is. More than I ever wanted it to be."

She gave my shoulder a comforting hug after we stood there in quiet for a while. "Whatever this is, I'm with you. But if this is what you're up against"

She spoke slowly, but I got what she was saying. Both she and I were afraid.