70."The Critical Moment"

Andrew DeLuca

I rang Emma's bedroom doorbell and waited for a few seconds, both anxious and concerned. When the door opened, I saw her face, which was far from okay. Her eyes revealed fatigue, but also a look of defiance.

"Andrew," she murmured my name, and the tension in the air was palpable.

I entered the room with determination, but also with anger. I couldn't shake the feeling that she was doing this on purpose, driving me crazy with her escape.

"Emma," I replied, my voice stern. "We need to talk."

She sighed and retreated into the room, making space for me to enter. I stood at the entrance for a moment, looking around, trying to understand what had driven her to escape like this.

"Why did you run away?" I asked, irritation evident in my voice. "We have a contract, I didn't forgive your father's debt out of benevolence, and you know that." I held onto her arm.

Emma stared at me, a mix of emotions in her gaze. She was holding back, but I could tell she was about to explode. She see