Chapter 43

"What are you talking about?" Antonio gawked at me in utter surprise. His eyes widened, seemingly bulging out of their sockets. It was as though my words had shaken the very foundations of his world. His face froze, and I could sense the tension building within him. Deep down, I was grateful that I had mustered the courage to finally unleash the questions that had been gnawing at me slowly.

"Are you impotent, and who is Emilia?" I asked again, tears now streaming down the sides of my eyes. His countenance remained inscrutable as always, but there was something different in the way he held me. It was a slightly looser grip, yet still firm, as if my words had caused him to die and be reborn.

"Why do you think I am impotent?" He responded calmly, his initial anger quickly solidifying into a hardened mask.

My breathing became ragged as his question demanded that I divulge more than I had intended. I didn't want him to discover the existence of the mysterious texter, fearing that it might