Daniel stepped into his workroom, his heart racing, his hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. With a controlled yet powerful movement, the back of his hand hit the surface of the desk hard. His breath hitched, not from exhaustion, but from an unending inner battle. "Why is it that whenever I'm around her, I can't help myself?" he murmured, a voice full of indecision hidden behind a firm tone.
The death of his parents, a tragedy inseparable from Emily's name, should have been a shield, strengthening him resolve to remain distant. However, every look, every smile that accidentally crossed the woman's face, seemed to erode the strength he had worked so hard to build. "Didn't you intend to use Emily to lure out the truck driver, who destroyed everything?" Daniel asked, his
