Chapter 316 Nightmares and Truths

Chapter 316 Nightmares and Truths
Emma's POV

I was falling, then suddenly suspended, the cold water beneath me inches from my face. My lungs burned as I struggled against the invisible restraints. Then the scene shifted, and it wasn't me anymore. It was Annie—her small body dangling over dark water, her blonde hair falling around her terrified face.

"Emma, save me! Emma, save me!" Her desperate cries pierced through the darkness.

I tried to reach her, but my arms wouldn't move. I opened my mouth to call back, but no sound came out.

"Emmy." A different voice now, deeper, familiar. "Emmy, wake up."

I jolted awake, gasping for air. Blake's concerned face hovered above me, his hand gently stroking my cheek. The bedroom was dark except for the faint glow from the city lights filtering through the curtains.

"You were having a nightmare," he said softly.

I pushed myself up, my heart still racing. "Annie... she was suspended over water, just like when Ivan had me dangling from the yacht." I shuddered at the memory. "She kept calling my name, begging me to save her."

Blake pulled me against his chest, careful of his injuries. "It's just a dream, Emmy. Dreams are usually the opposite of reality. She's safe with her aunt, remember?"

"I know," I sighed, resting my head against his shoulder. "But I'm still angry at Victoria for using her daughter like this. Even if it's just a setup, it could leave psychological scars on Annie."

"Victoria understands what's at stake," Blake murmured into my hair. "And Annie is a smart kid. She knows it's just pretend."

I pulled back slightly to look at him. "How do you know that?"

"Because Victoria explained it to her like a game of spies. Annie thinks she's helping to catch bad guys." His lips curved into a small smile. "She was excited to play her part."

I shook my head, not entirely convinced but too tired to argue. We sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, my breathing gradually returning to normal.

"You like that little girl, don't you?" Blake asked suddenly.

"Annie? She's sweet. Hard not to like her."

Blake's next words caught me completely off guard. "We should have one."

"What?" I stared at him.

"A child," he clarified, his expression unreadable in the dim light. "You and me. We should have one."

I laughed nervously. "That's going to have to wait for the year of the monkey or something. By the time we're ready, we probably won't even be capable anymore."

Blake leaned forward, his intent clear, but as he moved, he winced slightly. The bandages around his torso reminded me of his recent injuries.

"No," I said firmly, placing a gentle hand on his chest to stop him. "You're still healing."

"I'm fine," he insisted, but the tightness around his eyes betrayed his pain.

"You're not," I countered. "And anyway, what was the point of getting yourself beaten up like this? What did it accomplish besides putting you in danger?"

Blake sighed and leaned back against the headboard. "It was for Ryan. I couldn't let him know I'm not the real Parker."

I processed this information. "But Aiden knows who you are. He hasn't told Ryan?"

"No," Blake confirmed. "And that's interesting, isn't it?"

"Why is that important?" I asked, though I was beginning to understand the implications.

"Because," Blake explained, "the real Parker is what you might call a 'pimp' in polite company. On the surface, he's a male model, but his actual job is to recruit people for export."

My stomach turned. "Export? You mean human trafficking?"

Blake nodded grimly. "Obsidian Palace isn't just a high-end club. It's part of a transnational criminal organization. Parker selects beautiful men and women to be sold as commodities."

"My God," I whispered, feeling sick. "And Aiden is involved in this?"

"Aiden knows exactly what's happening, but he's keeping quiet about my identity," Blake said thoughtfully. "I think he wants Obsidian Palace to fall. He wants to be the one who takes over the domestic black market after it's gone."

"What gives him that confidence?" I asked.

"He has connections overseas with Ivan and Adrian. Even if the old supply line gets shut down, Aiden can develop new ones." Blake's voice hardened. "Taking him down is also part of my mission. I won't let him continue to covet my wife."

I felt a rush of warmth at his possessive tone, despite the gravity of our conversation. "So where's the real Parker now?"

Blake's silence told me everything I needed to know.

"You have him somewhere," I concluded. "You're using your resemblance to impersonate him."

Blake didn't confirm or deny, but his lack of response was answer enough.

"Are you going to continue pretending to be Parker?" I asked.

"Of course," he replied without hesitation.

"You think Aiden will come to you for cooperation?"

Blake nodded. "He'll want to form an alliance now. With his connections and Parker's operation, they could build something bigger than what Ryan has."

I studied his face in the dim light, suddenly afraid of what might happen next. "And will you agree to work with him?"