Emma’s Past

Emma had once believed that she was meant to be a social worker, that helping others was her calling. The early days of her career had been filled with hope and ambition, especially when she began working with troubled youths. But there was one case that changed everything.

Ethan.

He had been a quiet, withdrawn teenager—his troubled past hidden behind a mask of indifference. Emma saw through that mask. She worked with him tirelessly, trying to get him to open up, to trust her. But then one evening, Ethan was found dead. The police ruled it an overdose—an unfortunate accident. But Emma couldn't shake the feeling that something had gone wrong, that the situation had been more complicated than it seemed.

The guilt gnawed at her. Could she have done more? Could she have saved him?

The trauma of that loss was too much. Emma left social work behind, stepping away from a field she had once been so passionate about. She started her own practice, focusing on becoming a psychologist. But no matter how far she ran from her past, the shadow of Ethan's death lingered, haunting her every step.

She had retreated into her new life, quietly helping clients cope with their own issues, but none of them seemed as broken as Ethan had been. None of them needed her the way he had. And so, Emma became a psychologist not because she wanted to, but because it was a safe, controlled environment—away from the messiness of life.

But now, a new case was pulling her back into that mess, and Emma could feel herself teetering on the edge of something dangerous.