Chapter 9 - The Meeting at SunriseThe morning light broke over the Hudson River, painting the sky in brilliant shades of gold and crimson.
Emma walked down the wide, carpeted hallway of the second floor, guided by a discreet housekeeper toward Sophie’s private recovery suite. Her heart fluttered with a strange mix of anxiety and anticipation.
When she pushed the heavy oak door open, the bright morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows.
Sitting up against a mountain of plush pillows was Sophie. Her dark hair was neatly brushed, a colorful bandage covered the cut near her temple, and her bright brown eyes lit up the moment she saw Emma.
"You came!" Sophie cried out, a wide, gap-toothed smile spreading across her face.
Emma’s breath hitched. She walked slowly to the bedside, her knees suddenly feeling weak. "Hey, sweetheart. How are you feeling?"
"Much better," Sophie said, tugging on the sleeve of Emma’s sweater. "My dad told me you carried me all the way from the car crash. He said you were like a superhero."
Emma smiled, a soft, tearful laugh escaping her lips as she sat down on the edge of the mattress. "Your dad exaggerates. I'm just a baker."
"You have super strength," Sophie insisted, grabbing Emma’s bandaged hand gently. "Thank you for saving me."
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Standing quietly in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, Gabriel watched them. For the first time in his life, the cold, ruthless underworld king felt a profound, overwhelming sense of completeness. The enemies outside were still out there. The war was coming. But standing in this room were the two most important things in his world.
As Emma looked up, her eyes met Gabriel’s across the room. The unspoken tension between them—the danger, the differences in their worlds, the undeniable pull of fate—crackled in the air.
