Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring

Chapter 87

Emma clenched her fists until her fingernails bit into the soft skin of her palms. She would not give up-not yet. Adam ha walked away, but she knew there was more to come. If he wouldn't talk, she'd find another way Ethan. For the innocent children who had died. For the justice they all deserved.

With a new firmness in her voice, Emma got to her feet. The fight wasn't over. Not by a long shot. expose the truth. For

Emma walked out of prison with her heart torn to pieces. She had gone inside with the hope of some sort of breakthroug glimmer that justice would prevail for her son and the innocent children affected. Instead, matters had just gotten worse, leaving her with more questions than answers.

Sliding into the backseat of her car, she let out a shaky breath and rested her head against the cool window. The blurred lights of the city mirrored her turbulent thoughts. As the driver pulled into traffic, her phone rang sharply, cutting throug the heavy silence.

Emma glanced at the screen and immediately picked up. "Good evening, ma'am," her personal assistant greeted, her voice trembling with panic.

Emma frowned, and the distraction, emotional depletion, made her tune out of everything else. "Good evening," she murmured absent-mindedly, "Ma'am. have you seen the news?"

The urgency in her assistant's tone snapped Emma out of her haze. She straightened in her seat. "What's going on?"

"It's about your mother, the assistant said, her words cautious but hurried.

dropped. "What

to see this

head, panic overtook Emma, and she hung up. With trembling fingers, she pulled up the news on her phone. Her heart dropped at the sight of the headline: "Mrs. Elizabeth Walker Spotted at

mother, paparazzi frenzy, and even speculation about a family rift. She felt a wave of frustration and

her emotions spiralled-anger and guilt swarmed inside her "Drive faster," she instructed her driver. As they neared the apartment, she could perceive a sea of paparazzi surrounding the building as their cameras

moment the car stopped. Her heart was racing as she ran up the

aback. Her mother sat in the living room, looking frail but dignified, while Ethan and Emily giggled on either side of her. The children hugged

took one tentative step forward Mom" she began

Walker looked up. Her face was cold as stone. Im waing for an explanation"

choked up as she took a step closer. "Mom, I can plain she said, the tone of her

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Chapter 87

to her feet and slapped Emma across the face

the pain but from the utter disbelief. Her mother had never hit her before. This was uncharted territory. How could you?" Elizabeth exploded, her voice breaking in rage and pain. "How could you keep such

she whispered, breaking into sobs. "At the time, I had thought it was best. I didn't want to burden you. You have gone through so much already- Elizabeth lifted a hand to quiet her. With a heavy sigh, she let herself sink back into the chair as the fight seemed to drain from her. The fire in her eyes faded