We Should not be Doing This.

Jerry stood outside Emily's door, his hand hovering over the knob. He hadn't been in her room in weeks—not since they'd agreed to put some distance between them. But that evening, the weight of everything, Mom's death, the family drama, the secrets they were all keeping—felt like too much to carry alone. He needed her. Even if he wasn't supposed to.

He knocked softly, his heart pounding in his chest. For a moment, there was no answer. Then he heard her voice, quiet but firm. "Come in."

He pushed the door open, stepping inside. Emily's room was dimly lit, the soft glow of a bedside lamp casting shadows across the walls. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, her legs tucked beneath her, a book in her hands. She looked up as he entered, her expression unreadable.

"Hey," Jerry said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Hey," Emily replied, setting the book aside. "What's up?"

Jerry hesitated, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. "I just… needed to see you."

Emily's gaze softened, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she patted the spot beside her on the bed. Jerry crossed the room and sat down, the space between them feeling both too close and not close enough.

For a moment, they just sat there in silence, the weight of everything unsaid hanging heavy in the air. Then Jerry turned to her, his eyes searching hers. "Em… I can't do this anymore."

Emily's breath hitched, but she didn't pull away. "Do what?"

"Pretend," Jerry said, his voice cracking. "Pretend like I don't feel this way about you. Like I don't need you."

Emily looked down at her hands, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap. "Jerry, we agreed—"

"I know what we agreed," he interrupted, his tone desperate. "But I can't keep pretending, Em. Not when every time I see you, all I want to do is—"

He stopped himself, his jaw tightening as he fought to keep his emotions in check. Emily looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Jerry, this isn't fair. To either of us."

"I know," he whispered, his voice breaking. "But I can't help it. I love you, Em. I always have."

Emily's breath caught, and for a moment, she just stared at him, her chest rising and falling with the weight of his words. Then, before she could stop herself, she leaned in, her lips brushing against his in a kiss that was both tender and desperate.

Jerry froze for a split second, his mind screaming at him to pull away, to respect the boundaries they'd set. But then his resolve crumbled, and he kissed her back, his hands cupping her face as he poured all his longing, all his pain, into the kiss.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other's as they tried to steady their racing hearts.

"We can't do this," Emily whispered, her voice trembling. "We agreed—"

"I know," Jerry said, his voice equally shaky. "But I can't stay away from you, Em. Not when you're all I think about."

Emily closed her eyes, a single tear slipping down her cheek. "This is going to ruin everything."

"Maybe," Jerry admitted, his thumb brushing away her tear. "But I'd rather risk it than lose you."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Then Emily leaned in again, her lips finding his in a kiss that was softer this time, more hesitant. When she pulled away, her eyes were filled with a mix of fear and longing.

"We have to be careful," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "If John finds out—"

"Dad won't," Jerry promised, his voice firm. "I'll make sure of it."

Emily nodded, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "I just… I don't want to hurt anyone. Especially him."

"You won't," Jerry said, his tone gentle. "We'll figure this out. Together."

Emily sighed, resting her head against his shoulder. "I hope you're right."

Jerry wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. For the first time in weeks, he felt like he could breathe. 

---

Mark and Anushka stepped into the house, the weight of their discovery still heavy on their minds. They had stopped by the office first to stash the documents they'd found, but now they needed to fill Emily in on what they'd uncovered. Mark led the way upstairs, his steps quick and purposeful, while Anushka followed closely behind.

When they reached Emily's door, Mark didn't bother knocking. He pushed it open, his mind already racing with how to explain everything. But the words died on his lips as he froze in the doorway.

Inside the room, Emily and Jerry were locked in an embrace, their faces inches apart, their emotions raw and unguarded. It was a private moment, one Mark had walked in on before, but this time, Anushka was right behind him.

Mark's reaction was instant. He stepped back, pulling the door shut with a sharp click. But it was too late—Anushka had seen enough. Her eyes widened, her cheeks flushing as she processed what she'd just witnessed.

Mark grabbed her arm gently, guiding her away from the door before she could say anything. "Let's talk in my room," he said, his voice low but firm.

Anushka nodded numbly, her mind still reeling as she followed him down the hallway. When they reached his room, Mark closed the door behind them and turned to face her, his expression a mix of concern and amusement.

"So…" Anushka began, her voice shaky. "Are Emily and Jerry… a thing?"

Mark sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah," he admitted. "They are. It's… complicated."

Anushka blinked, her mind racing. She had always had a bit of a crush on Jerry—his easy charm, his playful smile, the way he always seemed to light up a room. But seeing him with Emily, so intimate, so vulnerable… it stirred something in her that she wasn't ready to confront.

Mark studied her for a moment, his lips curving into a sly smile. "Why? You got feelings for him or something?"

Anushka's eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head. "What? No! Of course not. I was just… surprised, that's all."

Mark raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Uh-huh. Sure. You know, you're a terrible liar, Ruhi."

Anushka crossed her arms, her cheeks burning. "I'm not lying. Jerry's just… a friend. That's all."

Mark chuckled, leaning back against his desk. "Alright, alright. I'll drop it. But just so you know, you're not exactly subtle."

Anushka groaned, covering her face with her hands. "This is so embarrassing."

Mark's expression softened, and he stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. Jerry's a good guy. It's not exactly hard to see why someone might have a crush on him."

Anushka peeked at him through her fingers. "You're not mad?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad?" Mark asked, his tone light. "It's not like you've done anything wrong. Besides, I'm not exactly in a position to judge."

Anushka lowered her hands, her brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"

Mark hesitated, his smile fading slightly. "Nothing. Just… forget it."

Anushka studied him for a moment, her curiosity piqued. But before she could press him further, Mark straightened up, his tone shifting back to business. "Anyway, we should probably figure out how to explain all this to Emily. And Jerry, for that matter."

Anushka nodded, her mind still spinning but grateful for the change of subject. "Right. The documents. What do we tell them?"

Mark sighed, his expression serious again. "The truth. Or at least, as much of it as we can. They deserve to know what we've found."

Anushka nodded, her resolve hardening. "Okay. Let's do it."