Unfortunate Family Ties

It was just another night out, or so she thought. Emma eyed the crowded room,

feeling strangely drawn to a face she had never seen before. He was Alex—enigmatic,

charming. They laughed, talked, oblivious to the world around them,

lost in a dance of newfound chemistry. <break time="0.6s" /> As weeks turned into months, their romance felt

like a fiery comet streaking across a dark sky. Emma found herself collecting moments

like pictures in an old album. But there was an odd sensation she couldn’t shake off.

During a casual conversation, she noticed how Alex twirled the end of his sentence

with a certain lilt, just like her family. <break time="0.6s" /> The moment of revelation came on a chilly afternoon,