At that moment, Harrison Emerson, Emmett’s father, watched from a distance. A wealthy, influential businessman, he often observed his son quietly, believing it was a way to protect him without smothering him. Seeing a barefoot girl approach his son with such confidence made him uneasy. His hand hovered near his coat pocket, ready to intervene.
Lila raised her hand toward Emmett’s face.
“May I?” she asked.
He swallowed hard. “What… what are you going to do?” he asked.
“Remove your sunglasses,” she said. “I need to see your eyes.”
Emmett hesitated, then lifted the dark lenses. A cloudy haze over his pupils revealed the years of darkness he had endured. Harrison felt powerless in a way money had never prepared him for.
Lila leaned forward, her hands steady. “Trust me,” she whispered.
He did. Somehow, he trusted her. Her fingertips brushed over his right eye. He expected pain, a burning sensation, something sharp, but felt only a subtle movement, like a veil lifting.
She removed a thin, translucent film, shimmering in the sunlight like spun glass.
“What… what is that?” Emmett whispered.
“It’s what kept you from seeing,” Juliette said.
