Emily burst through the front door of her apartment, tears streaming down her face. Her body trembled as she ran into Rachel, who was sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone. Without a word, Rachel jumped up and wrapped her arms around her best friend, holding her tight.

“Emily, what happened? Why are you crying?” Rachel’s voice was full of concern. “I looked everywhere for you last night and thought you’d left with that guy.”

Emily’s sobs grew louder, her body shaking as she leaned into Rachel’s comforting embrace. “I was with him... and I thought he was a nice guy, but Rachel, he’s not who I thought he was.”

Rachel’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? Who? Eric?”

Emily nodded, her voice breaking between sobs. “I ran into Luke Clements last night. You know how awful he’s been to me... But Eric, he protected me from him. He seemed... good.”

“Ahh, Luke again,” Rachel muttered angrily. “But Eric sounds like he was decent at least.”

“We danced, Eric and I... and then I started feeling strange, dizzy. I told him I needed to go to the bathroom, and he said he’d wait for me,” Emily explained, her words stumbling over each other as she tried to make sense of everything. “But while I was in there, washing my face... I felt a hand come over my mouth. I tried to fight, Rachel... but everything went black.”

Rachel’s grip tightened around her, her heart breaking for her friend. “Oh no...” she whispered, stroking Emily’s back to comfort her.

Emily’s voice trembled as she continued, “The next thing I remember... I woke up in a hotel room. And Eric was there... lying next to me. I—I don’t know what happened. I think... I think he drugged me and raped me.”

Rachel’s breath caught in her throat. “Oh my god, Emily. Are you sure? That’s horrible! We should call the police.”

But Emily shook her head furiously, wiping her tears away. “No, I just... I just want to forget it all. I don’t want to think about it anymore. I’ll never see him again anyway.”

Rachel frowned, worry etched across her face. “Em, you can’t just pretend like nothing happened. I know you, and I know you avoid conflict, but this is serious. If he hurt you, you can’t let him get away with it.”

“I know,” Emily whispered. “But here’s the thing... I keep having these flashes, these memories from last night, and they don’t make sense. It doesn’t all add up.”

Rachel pulled back slightly, looking into Emily’s eyes. “What do you mean? What memories?”

Emily sighed, confused. “I remember parts of the night, and it doesn’t feel like... rape. It feels like I was willing. But I was drugged, Rachel! I don’t understand it.”

Rachel took a deep breath, trying to piece it together. “Maybe... maybe someone else drugged you. What if Eric saved you from whoever did it?”

Emily bit her lip, torn between conflicting emotions. “I don’t know... I can’t say for sure. That’s why I just want to forget it. I can’t accuse him without knowing the truth.”

Rachel nodded slowly. “Whatever you decide, I’m here for you, Em. You know that. But just... don’t push this aside too quickly, okay?”

Emily hugged Rachel tightly, feeling a small sense of relief from her friend’s unwavering support. “Thank you, bestie.”

——————————————————————————

Meanwhile, across town, Eric awoke in the hotel room, his heart sinking as he glanced at the empty space beside him. Emily was gone. He bolted upright, scanning the room in a panic. Her clothes were missing. The bathroom was empty. She had left.

“Damn it,” Eric muttered to himself, running a hand through his disheveled hair. She’s gone. What does she think happened? The realization hit him like a freight train. What if she thinks I was behind all of this?

Frustration surged through him as he grabbed his phone and quickly dialed Tim’s number.

“Hey, man,” Tim answered, sounding groggy. “What’s going on?”

“Something huge happened last night, and I need your help,” Eric said, pacing the room, his mind racing.

Tim sat up in bed, suddenly alert. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“I need you to run a background check on a woman named Emily Leroux. Find everything you can on her. Fast.”

Tim hesitated. “Who is she? Why do you need this?”

Eric sighed, his voice laced with urgency. “She’s someone I met last night... someone I care about. But something happened, and she deserves answers. I need to explain everything to her.”

Tim let out a low whistle. “Alright, man. I’ll get you the info as soon as I can. But you owe me an explanation when I see you at the office.”

“I will,” Eric promised. “I just need to find her first.”

After hanging up the phone, Eric paced the room, his mind spinning. How was he going to explain what happened to Emily? She had been drugged, confused, and vulnerable. What if she thought he had taken advantage of her? He clenched his fists in frustration, trying to calm himself.

As he hurried out of the hotel, one thing became clear in his mind—he had to find her. He had to explain everything, make sure she knew the truth.

It wasn’t just about clearing his name. Something had shifted inside him. He had been drawn to Emily from the moment they met, but now... it was more. Somewhere between the fear and chaos of last night, Eric realized he wasn’t just infatuated with her. He was falling for her.

“I’ll find you, Emily,” Eric whispered under his breath as he stepped into the daylight, determination in his eyes. “And I’ll make this right.”

With his heart racing and the weight of the night still heavy on his shoulders, Eric set off on a mission to fix the mess he never saw coming. He knew one thing for sure: he wouldn’t let her slip away without a fight.

His chest tightened at the thought. The last thing he wanted was for Emily to doubt him or feel unsafe around him. He hoped she would remember how he had helped her, how he had been there when she needed someone most.

But deep down, Eric knew he would have to face those questions soon. He just hoped Emily would trust him enough to listen to the truth.