Chapter 4 - Harbor Light

Newport smelled like salt, wet wood, and coffee.

Emma loved it immediately.

"You didn't mention that part."

"I wasn't ready to say it out loud."

Mara's face softened. "Come upstairs."

It was perfect.

For three days, Emma slept, ate soup, and ignored Manhattan.

On the fourth, she finally turned her phone on.

Thirty-two missed calls from Nathan.

Eleven voice mails.

She did not play them.

One message from Eleanor:

I told him you're safe. Nothing else. Your choice means your choice.

Emma cried at that.

Then she saw a message from Olivia.

I hope disappearing makes you feel powerful. It won't change what he wants.

Emma's fingers went cold.

Mara read the message over her shoulder. "Block her."

"Why is she contacting me?"

"Because she thinks she won and needs you to know it."

Emma blocked the number.

That afternoon, she met Dr. Priya Shah, an obstetrician at a small coastal clinic.

Priya studied Emma's chart, then looked over her glasses.

"Two previous losses, current pregnancy at eighteen weeks, high stress, and you flew across the country overnight?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds irresponsible."

"It sounds human. Now I'm going to be annoying and tell you to rest."

For the first time in weeks, Emma laughed.

The baby was healthy.

Heartbeat strong.

Placenta normal.

Emma watched the monitor and whispered, "Hi, little one."

Priya glanced at her. "Does the father know?"

"He found out after I left."

"Safe relationship?"

Emma hesitated.

Not dangerous.

Not physically.

But safety was not only about locked doors and bruises.

"I don't know," she said honestly.

That evening, Nathan sent one final message.

I know you're pregnant. I am sorry I learned from a bill instead of from you. I won't track you. I won't show up. I won't use the company to find you. Please just tell Mom if you need anything.

Emma read it twice.

Then a second message arrived from an unknown number.

A photograph.

It showed Emma entering Dr. Shah's clinic that afternoon.

Under it were five words:

He deserves to know where.

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