Emily's POV
I lay there for a few minutes, letting my thoughts consume me. But then my phone started ringing, jolting me out of my daze. I looked at the screen and saw that it was my mom calling. I took a deep breath and answered the call.
"Hi, Mom," I said, my voice sounding flat and lifeless. I didn't want her to know how I was feeling.
"I haven't heard from you in a while," my mom said, her voice sounding concerned. "Is everything okay?" I felt a lump in my throat, and I struggled to answer her question.
A surge of anger welled up inside me as I thought about how my mom had pushed me into the proxy marriage. I knew it was wrong, and I was mad at her for trying to control my life like that. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "Everything's fine," I lied.
