Daniel composed himself, trying to shake off the awkwardness he felt after catching a glimpse of Emma's naked figure. He focused on his noodles, trying to appear nonchalant as Emma entered the room.
She was now dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, her hair tied up in a ponytail. Daniel couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked, but he quickly pushed the thought aside.
As Emma sat down next to him, Daniel turned his head around to appreciate the setup of the room. But as his eyes scanned the space, he was frozen with shock and surprise.
On the wall, in a beautiful frame, was a picture of his sister Emma. The same Emma who had been kidnapped 19 years ago. Daniel's heart skipped a beat as he stared at the picture, his mind racing with questions.
How did Emma's picture end up here? Was this some kind of coincidence? Or was there something more sinister at play?
Daniel's eyes locked onto Emma's, and he could see the confusion and concern etched on her face. "Daniel, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle.
But Daniel couldn't speak. He was too stunned, too shocked by what he had just seen. All he could do was stare at the picture, his mind reeling with the implications.Daniel's eyes were still fixed on the picture as he asked Emma, "Who is the little girl in the frame?"
Emma's response was casual, "That's me."
But Daniel's reaction was anything but casual. He spat out the water he was drinking, his eyes wide with shock. Emma looked at him, wronged, as if she had no idea why Daniel was reacting this way.
Daniel's hands were shaking as he took out his phone and went to his gallery. He scrolled through the pictures, his heart racing with anticipation. And then, he found it - a picture of him and Emma, taken on the day he had first shown her off as a little girl in his mother's mansion.
Daniel's eyes locked onto Emma's, and he could see the shock and confusion written all over her face. He showed her the picture, and Emma's eyes widened in stunned silence.
The picture showed a young Daniel, beaming with pride, holding a little girl with a big smile on her face. The little girl had big brown eyes and curly brown hair. It was unmistakably Emma.
Emma's eyes were fixed on the picture, her mouth hanging open in shock. She was speechless, unable to process what she was seeing. Daniel's eyes never left hers, his heart pounding with excitement and hope.
Could it be? Could this young woman, who had taken him in and shown him kindness, be his long-lost sister?As Emma gazed at the picture, her eyes seemed to glaze over, and her expression changed. She looked like she was in a trance, and her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Brother...papa..." she murmured, her words sending shivers down Daniel's spine.
Daniel's heart was racing with excitement and hope. He leaned in closer to Emma, his eyes locked onto hers.
"Emma, do you remember?" he asked, his voice trembling with emotion.
Emma's eyes fluttered, and she looked like she was struggling to remember. But then, her face lit up with a look of recognition.
"Brother...papa..." she repeated, her voice stronger this time. "I remember...I was playing in the garden...and then...and then..."
Emma's words trailed off, and she looked like she was reliving a nightmare. Daniel's heart went out to her, and he reached out to take her hand.
"It's okay, Emma," he said softly. "You're safe now. You're with me."
As Daniel spoke, Emma's eyes locked onto his, and she smiled weakly.
"Brother..." she whispered, her voice filled with emotion.
Daniel's eyes welled up with tears as he realized that his little sister was finally back. He pulled her into a tight hug, holding her close as tears of joy streamed down his face.
"We've found you, Emma," he whispered, his voice shaking with emotion. "We've finally found you."As Daniel and Emma composed themselves after their emotional reunion, Emma began to narrate the horrific events that had unfolded after her kidnapping.
"It was my mother," Emma said, her voice trembling with anger and sadness. "She was the one who kidnapped me. Her new husband, he was rich and he wanted a child, but he didn't want to have one of his own. So, he asked my mother to kidnap me."
Daniel's eyes widened in shock and disgust. "How could she do that?" he asked, his voice shaking with rage.
Emma's eyes filled with tears. "She did it because she wanted to keep her new husband happy. She didn't care about me or what would happen to me. After I was kidnapped, I was constantly abused by my mother and her new husband. They would beat me, starve me, and lock me in a room for days."
Daniel's face contorted in anguish as he listened to Emma's story.
"When I turned 14, things got even worse," Emma continued. "Her new husband would sleep with me, even in front of my mother. And she would just stand there, doing nothing to stop him."
Daniel felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"But one day, I found a way to escape," Emma said, a determined look on her face. "I hid on a ship that came to the island, and I was able to sneak off when it sailed. That's how I ended up here, in Canada."
Daniel's eyes filled with tears as he listened to Emma's story. He was so proud of her for surviving such unimaginable horrors, and for finding the strength to escape. He pulled her into a tight hug, holding her close as they both cried tears of sadness and relief.