Morgan's eyes softened for a brief moment as she gazed down at Emily, her expression unreadable. "Come inside," she said quietly, gently leading her into to the house.
The interior was a stark contrast to its decayed exterior. The wooden floors were polished to a shine, the furniture simple yet elegant, and the air was warm with the aroma of a home-cooked meal. It felt unnervingly... inviting. Emily's unease only grew as her eyes darted around, searching for signs of deception, but the house seemed meticulously maintained.
Morgan pulled out a chair at the modest dining table and gestured for Emily to sit. "Dinner's ready, as I said," she said, her voice calm and composed. Molly was already at the table, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she swung her legs back and forth.
Emily hesitated but took the seat farthest from Morgan, her body tense. Morgan set down plates of steaming food: roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and sautéed vegetables. The meal looked delicious—too delicious. Emily stared at her plate, her stomach twisting with apprehension. Was it poisoned? Or was Morgan simply trying to lull her into complacency?
Molly dug in enthusiastically, chatting about her day as though this were the most normal family dinner. "Morgan says she's going to show me how to plant flowers in the backyard tomorrow!" she exclaimed between bites.
"That's nice, sweetheart," Emily murmured, her voice strained. She forced herself to pick at the food, taking small bites for appearances' sake. The tension in the air was palpable, but Molly seemed blissfully unaware, her attention entirely on Morgan.
Morgan, for her part, played the role of the gracious host flawlessly. She served Molly seconds, poured Emily a glass of water, and even offered a warm smile, though Emily could see the calculated glint in her eyes. Every gesture felt like a taunt, a reminder of the power she held.
When the meal was over, Morgan stood and gently patted Molly's head. "Time for bed, little star," she said softly.
"But I'm not sleepy yet!" Molly protested, though her yawn betrayed her.
Morgan chuckled. "Let's read a story first. That'll help." Molly reluctantly agreed, and Morgan led her toward a room at the end of the hall. Emily watched them go, her heart aching with a mixture of anger, fear, and helplessness.
Left alone, Emily stood and began to pace, her thoughts racing. How had it come to this? How had she lost her daughter to this woman? She barely noticed when Morgan returned, her steps silent as a shadow.
Emily turned, and before she could stop herself, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Morgan. "Morgan," she choked out, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her face. "Please, please, don't take her away from me. She's all I have left. I can't lose her. Please."
Morgan stiffened for a moment, caught off guard by the desperation in Emily's voice. Slowly, she raised a hand and stroked Emily's hair with surprising gentleness. "Deep breaths, Emily," she murmured, her tone soft yet firm. "You're spiraling."
Emily pulled back just enough to look up at her, her tear-filled eyes searching Morgan's face for any hint of compassion. "Please," she whispered again, her voice trembling. "She's my daughter. My little girl. I'll do anything… just don't take her from me."
Morgan's expression remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of something—sympathy? Regret?—in her eyes. She cupped Emily's face, her thumb brushing away a stray tear. "You've already lost her, Emily," she said quietly. "She chose me. She's happy here."
"No," Emily sobbed, shaking her head vehemently. "She's a child. She doesn't understand what she's doing. Please, Morgan, if you ever cared about me—"
Morgan's lips twitched into a faint smile, though it didn't reach her eyes.
Morgan's expression darkened, her voice low and trembling with suppressed emotion. "Molly could have been ours, Emily," she hissed, her hands tightening around Emily's hair. "But you decided to run away. You left me. You left me alone."
Emily winced, her hands flying up to try and pry Morgan's grip loose. "Morgan, you're hurting me," she said, her voice strained with both pain and fear.
The words seemed to snap Morgan out of her fury. Her eyes widened as if realizing what she had done, and she released Emily immediately, her hands hovering uncertainly as if she wanted to touch her but didn't dare. "I'm so sorry," Morgan whispered, her voice breaking. "Where did I hurt you? Please, I'm sorry. Emily, I didn't mean to…"
Emily took a step back, cradling her scalp where Morgan's grip had been. Her breathing was shallow, her chest heaving with the adrenaline coursing through her. But as she looked up at Morgan, the anger she expected to see was gone, replaced by something far more disarming—guilt, sorrow, and unshed tears shimmering in her eyes.
Morgan took a hesitant step closer, her voice soft and pleading. "Emily, I didn't mean it. I—I'd never want to hurt you." Her hands hovered uncertainly before falling to her sides, her gaze locked on Emily's. "Please tell me you're okay."
Emily swallowed hard, her throat tightening as she saw the raw vulnerability in Morgan's expression. It wasn't often that Morgan let her guard down, but now, she looked like a woman on the verge of breaking.
"I'm… I'm fine," Emily managed, though her voice wavered. "Just… don't do that again."
Morgan nodded quickly, as though afraid of losing the fragile thread of trust between them. "I won't," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I swear, Emily. I'm so sorry."
For a moment, they stood in silence, the tension between them heavy but different now—less of a battle and more of a truce. Emily's hand trembled as she reached up to touch the spot where Morgan's grip had been, and Morgan winced at the sight, guilt etched into every line of her face.
"I was just so angry," Morgan admitted, her voice thick with emotion. "You don't know how much it hurt when you left me. When you took everything we could have had and threw it away."
Emily's heart ached at the pain in Morgan's voice, but she couldn't let herself fall into that trap again. "I did what I thought was best," she said softly. "For both of us."
Morgan let out a bitter laugh, wiping at her eyes. "And yet here we are," she murmured. "You, begging me not to take Molly, and me…" She trailed off, shaking her head as if she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.
Emily didn't reply, her gaze dropping to the floor. She didn't know what to say anymore. Her daughter, her life, her past—it all felt like it was slipping through her fingers, and she wasn't sure she could catch it in time.
Morgan took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Go to bed, Emily," she said finally, her tone gentler now. "We'll talk more tomorrow."
Emily hesitated, glancing toward the hallway where Molly had disappeared earlier. "I need to see Molly first."
Morgan shook her head. "She's asleep. Let her rest."
Reluctantly, Emily nodded, her exhaustion overwhelming her resolve. She turned toward the small guest room Morgan had pointed out earlier, but not before casting one last glance at the woman who had once been her everything—and who now held the key to her future.
The night was restless for Emily. She lay on the small, creaky bed in the guest room, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing with unanswered questions and a growing sense of dread. The eerie silence of the house pressed down on her, broken only by the occasional creak of the wooden floorboards.
She couldn't stop thinking about Morgan's words—Molly could have been ours. The possessiveness in her voice, the anger in her eyes… Emily shivered at the memory. But there was something else, something beneath the surface of Morgan's fury: pain.
Emily tossed and turned, her heart aching for her daughter, for the life they had lost, and for the woman Morgan used to be. She couldn't let things continue like this. She had to confront Morgan, to make her understand that this wasn't the way.
Finally, unable to bear the suffocating stillness any longer, Emily pushed herself out of bed. The faint glow of moonlight seeped through the dusty curtains, casting long shadows across the room as she quietly made her way toward the door.
The hallway was dark, but Emily knew where Morgan would be. She tiptoed toward the dim light spilling from beneath the door to the living room. When she peeked inside, she saw Morgan sitting on the worn-out couch, her head bowed, fingers clenched tightly together.
For a moment, Emily hesitated. She could see the tension in Morgan's posture, the way her shoulders were hunched as if she carried the weight of the world. She almost turned back, but then Morgan spoke, her voice soft and tinged with regret.
"I never wanted it to be like this."
Emily froze, her heart skipping a beat. She stepped into the room cautiously. "Morgan?"
Morgan looked up, startled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Emily… you should be resting."
"I couldn't sleep," Emily admitted, crossing the room to sit across from her. "Not after everything that's happened."
Morgan sighed, leaning back against the couch. She looked tired, worn down by emotions she was struggling to contain. "You hate me," she said bluntly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Emily shook her head, her throat tightening. "I don't hate you, Morgan. I… I don't understand you anymore. The person sitting in front of me isn't the person I used to know."
Morgan's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "Maybe that person doesn't exist anymore. Maybe you took her with you when you left."
Emily winced at the accusation, guilt tugging at her chest. "Morgan, I didn't leave to hurt you. I—"
"You didn't stay to save me either," Morgan interrupted, her voice cracking. "Do you have any idea what it was like? To be abandoned? To think I wasn't good enough for you?"
Emily's heart broke at the raw pain in Morgan's voice. She reached out, her hand hesitating before resting on Morgan's arm. "I didn't leave because of you. I left because I thought it was what we needed. I thought we'd both be better off…"
Morgan's eyes snapped to hers, filled with anger and sorrow. "Better off? Do I look better off to you, Emily?"
Silence hung between them, heavy and suffocating.
Finally, Morgan let out a shaky breath, her shoulders slumping. "I just… I wanted us to have a family. I wanted Molly to be ours. I thought maybe, just maybe, if you came back, we could fix things."
Emily swallowed hard, tears welling up in her eyes. "Morgan… I don't know how to fix this. I don't even know where to start."
Morgan looked at her, a flicker of vulnerability in her gaze. "Stay," she whispered. "Stay here, with me and Molly. Let's try again."
Emily's breath caught, her heart torn between the past they shared and the chaos of the present. Could she really trust Morgan after everything? Could she risk her daughter's safety for a chance to rebuild what they once had?
"I don't know," Emily admitted, her voice trembling. "I just… I need time, Morgan. I need to think about what's best for Molly."
Morgan's jaw tightened, but she nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving Emily's. "Take all the time you need," she said softly, though the desperation in her voice was impossible to miss.
For now, the fragile truce between them held, but Emily couldn't shake the feeling that the storm was far from over.
A/N:SIKE!!!!! y'all really thought huh 🤣🤣🤣
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The day passed in a haze, but as the sun began to set, Emily could no longer hold her silence. She had tried to make sense of everything, tried to push the fear and desperation aside, but it all came rushing back when she saw Morgan and Molly laughing together, as if everything was perfectly normal.
Emily approached Morgan,her voice trembling with the weight of everything she wanted to say. "Morgan I can't do this",she confessed her words barely above a whisper. "I can't stay here. I have to get Molly out of this place. We need to go home".
Morgan turned slowly, her face unreadable. Then,without a word, she reached out, and gently cupped, Emily's face in her hands,the touch was too gentle to be comforting. "You don't have a choice, Emily",she said softly,her voice almost a lullaby. "Molly is already home, you were the one who ran away...and it's time for you to stay".
The words sent a chill down Emily's spine, but she couldn't give up. She couldn't let molly be consumed by this woman.
That night, while the house was quiet and dark, Emily knew it was time. She gathered molly, moving as quietly as she could, but her heart was pounding. They had to leave.
But as they reach the back door,the faintest sound of footsteps echoed in the hallways. Emily's breath caught in her throat. Before she could make it outside, Morgan appeared from the shadows,her eyes glinting coldly in the dim light.
"You thought you could leave?"
Morgan's voice was icy but there was something deeper— something more dangerous— beneath it.
In a heartbeat, Morgan's hand gripped Molly's wrist, yanking her back into the house. "You should know better, Emily. Running isn't an option".
The terror that has been building inside Emily, burst to the surface. She screamed, lunging for molly, but Morgan held her back with a strength that defied her slender frame.
"Morgan, please,stop, please!" Emily begged, trying to break free from Morgan's iron grip. But it was useless. Morgan dragged them back inside,her eyes cold and full of purpose.
This time, there would be no escape.
Morgan didn't waste time,she grabbed a thick rope from the corner, binding Emily's wrist to the chair with a Swift practiced movement. Emily struggled against the ropes, but it was futile. She was trapped.
"You want her back?" Morgan said with a sickening calmness. "The only way she stays here with you is if you understand what happens when you defy me."
She turned to Molly,her voice suddenly sweet as she crouched in front of her. "Molly, sweetheart, Emily's being stubborn",she Said, her tone fake and soothing. But she doesn't get it. So I'm going to give her a little reminder. You see Molly.... the only way Emily can stay is if you kill yourself. That's the only way she'll understand"
Molly's eyes widened, confusion mixed with fear, but Morgan leaned in closer, whispering into her ear. "You want to help your mommy, don't you. You want to make sure she stays. You can be the hero molly,you can save her".
Emily's heart skipped a beat as she tried to fight against the ropes, but they were too tight. Her voice broke as she cried out to her daughter.
"Molly,no! Don't listen to her please, don't listen to her.
But Molly, with a smile, that was eerily calm for someone so young,walked towards Emily. She sat on the chair in front of her, looking at both Morgan and Emily with an unnervingly serenity.
"Molly...." Emily gasped,her voice a mix of desperate and disbelief. "Please, sweetheart, don't do this. I need you. I love you. Please don't listen to her".
Molly's smile remained, but her eyes were vacant, almost robotic. She gave one last, lingering look at Emily before her gaze shifted to Morgan.
Morgan's hands shook slightly as she held the knife, but her smile was twisted with satisfaction."it's for the best, Emily. It's the only way".
With that, Morgan's hand moved, the blade flashed as it sliced across Molly's throat.
Emily screamed in horror, thrashing against the rope as blood splattered onto the floor. "Molly! NO!"
The child's body slumped,her smile still plastered on her face, the lifelessness in her Eyes now forever etched in Emily's memory.
"Molly" Emily screamed again,her voice raw and filled with rage. "You. You MONSTER!"
Morgan's laughter echoed through the room,cold and psychotic. "You should have known, Emily. You should have known this would happen. This is what happens when you try to run from me".
But as Emily's eyes fixated on her daughter's lifeless body, something shifted in Morgan's expression. She looked down at the bloodied knife in her hand, her smile faltering as she started at Molly's motionless form.
For the first time, Morgan's confident façade cracked. Her eyes widened, and a strangled gasp escaped her lips. "NO..."she whispered,as if in disbelief.
Her knees gave out, and she collapsed beside Molly's body, dropping the knife onto the floor with a clatter.
"Little star...." She sobbed, her voice filled with pure anguish
Emily watched as Morgan crumpled, her laughter reducing by an intense, gut wrenching scream. The woman who had tortured her for so long now seemed to shatter under the weight of what she had done.
But it was too late
Emily's body shook with sobs as she stared at her daughter,her mind struggling to comprehend the nightmare she had just witnessed. The bloodied knife, the lifeless body— everything was too much. She could barely breathe.
And in that moment, she realized that nothing could undo the damage. Nothing could save Molly