The Dark Shadow of Gratitude

Setting: Emilia's house in the village, late evening

Emilia sat on her bed, clutching the phone in her hand. She couldn't believe what had just happened. William's ex-wife had shown up out of nowhere, and their conversation had abruptly ended.

As she sat there lost in thought, a sudden chill crept over her. She looked up and saw a shadowy figure standing in front of her.

Emilia's heart raced as she recognized the woman from the antique shop. Her hair was wild and unkempt, and her eyes glinted in the darkness.

"Thank you, Emilia," the woman said in a raspy voice. "You have released me from the curse that bound me to that cursed book."

Emilia was stunned. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The woman then offered Emilia a reward for her kindness.

"I can grant you anything you desire, my dear," the woman said, her voice echoing ominously in the room.

Emilia hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. But then, a sudden thought came to her mind.

"Can you bring William back to me?" she asked, her voice shaking with emotion.

The woman's eyes glinted in the darkness. "I can bring him back to you, but it will come at a price," she said.

Emilia didn't care what the price was. She wanted William back with all her heart.

"Anything," she said firmly.

The woman cackled, and Emilia knew that she had made a deal with the devil. But she didn't care. All she wanted was William back.

As the woman disappeared into the shadows, Emilia felt a sense of unease wash over her. She knew that she had made a grave mistake, but it was too late to turn back now.

The next day, William called Emilia. They talked for hours, and everything felt like it was back to normal. But Emilia couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.

And then, a few weeks later, William told her that he was moving back to his ex-wife. Emilia's heart shattered into a million pieces, and she knew that she had paid a heavy price for her mistake.

She was left alone, haunted by the dark shadow of gratitude that she had unwittingly unleashed.

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