Chapter One Hundred& Forty Five

Emma chuckled, glancing from Lucas to the woman sitting on the couch. The silence from both of them was deafening, and her laugh tapered off into an uneasy smile.

"You're joking, right?" Emma's smile faded, replaced by a frown as she searched their faces for a hint of humor.

The woman shook her head, her expression grave. "I'm not joking."

Emma's fingers flew to her forehead, massaging her temples as if she could knead away the absurdity of the situation. Her eyes narrowed, and her breathing became shallow and rapid.

"Is this why you brought this crazy lady here?" She spun to face Lucas, her eyes blazing with a mix of confusion and anger. "What are you trying to do, Lucas?" Her voice rose, her frustration boiling over. "What are you trying to do!"

She lunged at him, her open palms striking his arm in a flurry of hits. "Mr. Mario has been nothing but good to me," she cried, her voice cracking. "Why are you doing this?" Her hits grew weaker as she broke down, sobbing into her hands.

Luc