16

Emma's POV

I heard the ticking of the clock in the kitchen, and somehow it made me feel even more depressed. I sat at the dining table, staring at the cold cup of tea in front of me. The night felt so long. I wished I could shake this uneasy feeling, but the more I tried, the harder it became.

Joseph said he would be back. The thought made me feel uneasy. What would he do if I refused again? Would he keep pushing? Or maybe he had other plans? I didn’t know, and the uncertainty made me feel even more depressed.

Maybe I should find a way to get him to stop coming here. But how? I couldn’t let him continue to interfere with my life like this, but I also didn’t want to get involved with him any further. Whatever he wanted, I didn’t want to get caught up in his game.

But as I thought about it all, I realized there was one thing that bothered me even more: was it possible that, despite all his weirdness, Joseph wasn’t as bad as I thought? Was it possible th