Disaster

Sabrina pushed open the door to her apartment, expecting to hear Emma humming in the kitchen or sitting on the couch, her eyes glued to the TV for some old drama rerun. But tonight, Emma wasn't there. The apartment was eerily silent, and she can feel the familiar uneasiness. Too quiet.

She was exhausted from the long morning at City Hall and all the walking around at the mall. Then, as if the day hadn't drained her enough, she still had to drag herself to her not-so-crowded restaurant. Because, of course, life didn't care that she had just gotten married to a man who barely looked at her. Bills still had to be paid, and customers—no matter how few—still needed to be fed.

Now, all she wanted was to kick off her shoes, collapse on the couch, and maybe complain to Emma about how ridiculous the day had been. Afterall, she hadn't told her sister about the marriage. Or the deal. Or anything.

A lump formed in her throat, but she quickly shoved the thought away. She had bigger problems right now.

But as she stepped inside, something felt off. The small living room was just as she had left it—except for one glaring difference. Emma was nowhere to be found.

"Emma?" Sabrina called out with her hoarse voice, checking the kitchen. Empty. She peeked into the bedroom. The bed was made, untouched.

Her chest tightened. She checked her phone. No missed calls. No messages.

"Where the hell did you go?" she muttered, her stomach twisting with unease. Emma wasn't the type to just disappear without saying anything.

"Emma?" Sabrina called out again, kicking her shoes off and padding down the hall. She could feel her chest tightening, her stomach twisting into knots. Her eyes darted around the small, cramped space, searching for any sign of her.

But there was no answer.

Sabrina felt the panic start to rise, her chest tightening. She felt her pulse quicken as she frantically looked around the empty living room. Where is Emma?

Her heart pounded furiously against her chest. She knew that Emma had probably just stepped out to hang out with some friends, but the uneasy feeling was still there, striking at the back of her mind. She grabbed her phone and dialed her sister's number, hoping she would pick up.

After three rings, Emma answered, and Sabrina let out a sigh of relief.

"Hello?" Emma's voice sounded from the other line.

"Hey," Sabrina greeted with concern. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm fine. Just hanging out with friends."

"You know you can't go out at this time," Sabrina said sternly. "It's getting late. Come home."

Emma sighed, "I'll be home soon, okay? Stop worrying."

Sabrina gritted her teeth, the familiar anger flaring up in her chest. But she didn't push it.

"You know the rules, Emma. It's not safe. You should've waited until I return—"

"I'm fifteen now, Sabrina. You can't control my every move. I'm not a kid anymore."

Sabrina exhaled sharply. Emma was right. She wasn't a kid anymore. Still, it didn't change the fact that Sabrina had sworn to protect her.

"I just... I know you're a big girl now, but I just want you to be careful."

Sabrina sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew Emma was right. Still, it didn't change the fact that she was worried about her sister.

"Please stop mommying me, I can handle it," Emma assured. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

Sabrina let out a sigh. "Okay, but please call me when you're on your way back. And don't go anywhere else. Straight home, alright?"

Emma chuckled, "I will. Don't worry."

Sabrina bit her lip, her grip tightening on the phone. "And make sure you're back by midnight. You have school tomorrow."

"Yes, ma'am," Emma teased, the hint of a smile in her voice.

"I mean it, Emma. Midnight, okay?"

Emma's tone softened. "Yeah, yeah. I got it. Don't worry so much."

And with that, the line disconnected.

Sabrina let out a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She placed her phone back in her pocket and walked back into her bedroom. Her sister was growing up, and as much as it terrified her, she was proud. She knew Emma was a capable young woman now, but she couldn't help worrying about her. Emma was all she had left, and she couldn't lose her. Not now, not ever.

It was already ten when she was about to head to the bathroom, ready to wash off the exhaustion of the day. But just as she reached for the faucet, her phone buzzed on the counter, the screen lighting up with an unexpected name.

Elbert D'Angelo.

Sabrina's brows pulled together. The solicitor wasn't the type to call without a reason—especially not this late. Heart kicking up a notch, she grabbed the phone and answered. "Mr. D'Angelo?"

There was a brief pause on the other end before Elbert's steady, no-nonsense voice came through.

"Miss Baelleigh, I trust I'm not disturbing you."

Among the few people who truly knew her, Mr. D'Angelo was the only one who still acknowledged her real identity. While the rest of the world saw her as Sabrina Dinsmore, he never forgot who she really was. And hearing him call her by that name now sent a chill down her spine.

Sabrina glanced at the clock. It was well past ten, and she was exhausted, but something in his tone made her straighten up. "It's a little late for a casual chat, don't you think?"

"I wouldn't call for something trivial," he replied. "I need to speak with you regarding an important matter. Something concerning you."

Her grip on the phone tightened. "Me? What about me?"

Elbert hesitated for a second before responding, "It would be better if we discussed this in person. Can you meet me tomorrow morning?"

Sabrina's pulse pounded in her ears. "No. You tell me now. You know that I have a lot of works to do in the restaurant every morning."

"Alright then," Elbert said, his voice as calm as ever. "I have found a suitable candidate for you."

Sabrina's brows pulled together. "What candidate?" she asked suspiciously.

"For your marriage," he replied smoothly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Her breath hitched. "Wait!" she blurted, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. There was a beat of silence before she added, "Didn't you already send the man yesterday?"

"What? No!" Elbert's usually calm voice sharpened with surprise. "I haven't sent anyone because I just finalized the deal today."

Sabrina's stomach dropped. "You mean… the man I met yesterday—"

"What do you mean?" Elbert asked, sounding confused.

Her jaw dropped. She was speechless. How the hell could this happen?

"Well, a man came to my restaurant yesterday," she began, trying to piece together the events. "He didn't just show up—he practically threw down a challenge. He made it clear that if I wanted to keep my restaurant from being taken over, I had to prove myself. And somehow, that whole mess led to this marriage contract."

"He what?!" Mr. D'Angelo exclaimed, shock and indignation ringing in his tone.

"He gave me a copy of the contract," she continued, ignoring his outrage. "I read through it, and everything seems legit, but... I don't understand. If you didn't send him, who the hell has sent that man?"

"Oh dear." Mr. D'Angelo's voice was tight with frustration. "This is worse than I thought. It wasn't arranged by me. Who exactly did you meet?"

Her mind raced. If Elbert hadn't sent Thaddeus, then who had? And why had Thaddeus gone along with it so easily?