bChapter /bb252 /b

    +28b) /b

    Skr struggled to break free, but Yosef held her down with a firm grip, rendering herpletely immobilized. Furious, Skr stomped hard on Yosef’s instep. He let out a muffled grunt but maintained his unyielding hold on her.

    Skr coldly asked, “Yosef Campbell, since you already know who I am, why do you continue to spout this nonsense? What do you want?”

    Yosef shed a yful grin. “Nothing serious, just wanted to have a little fun with you,” he said, seizing the moment to free his caught foot as he spoke. Skr scoffed.

    “Skr, you’re Sue, right?” Yosef asked.

    Skr retorted defiantly, “So what if I am? And what if I’m not?”

    Yosef expressed his admiration without reservation: “I didn’t expect you to be this impressive.”

    Goosebumps spread across Skr’s skin, with every hair on her body standing on end. “Why are you acting so strangely?” she demanded.

    “Does that seem unusual? I don’t think so,” Yosef said with a smirk.

    Skr blinked in the dark, thinking, ‘Why does he feel like a different person? He seems more approachable now, not the untouchable figure he used to be.

    The lights turned on, and the event organizer quickly took the stage with a microphone, smiling apologetically. “Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the short power outage,” he said. Fortunately, it was a minor issue, and everyone quickly resumed their activities.

    Skr finally realized just how awkwardly intimate their position was. “How much longer are you going to keep holding me like this?” she demanded.

    “I wish I could hold you like this forever,” Yosef whispered gently.

    ‘Is he dreaming?‘ Skr wondered, a tinge of disdain crossing her mind. “Let go of me,” Skr snapped.

    Afraid of upsetting her again, Yosef released his hold, surrendering to her struggles. Skr adjusted her mask, which had slipped out of ce during the scuffle. Yosef gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind Skr’s ear.

    Skr froze, her body tensed every time Yosef approached. She couldn’t rx around him. Yosef also noticed her tension and pulled back his hand. With a teasing smile, he asked, “Why are iyou /iiso /inervous?”

    “I’m not nervous,” Skr insisted stubbornly. “I just don’t like you being so close to me.”

    “Oh really? Didn’t you plead with me to get closer that night?” Skr tightened her small hands over Yosef’s mouth. “Yosef Campbell, please be quiet right now!” she snapped.

    The moment Skr heard those words, a deeply buried and mortifying memory resurfaced. Her ears turned deep red with rage as she retorted, “Have you be possessed? The old you would never have been this shameless!”

    Skr wondered, ‘When did he be so chatty? He keeps blurting out whatever pops into his head!‘

    Yosef gently took her hands and said with an apologetic smile, “I’m sorry, that was inappropriate.”

    Skr’s rm grew even stronger. “What’s wrong with you?” she demanded.

    Yosef frowned, thinking, ‘They say girls like bad boys and that I should be more carefree to win one over. They also say I should open up to avoid misunderstandings, as girls tend to prefer outgoing guys. So why isn’t this working with Skr?” Frustrated, Yosef wondered.

    b1/2 /b

    19:29 Mon, 4 Aug

    ?. 61%2

    +28)

    Skr muttered under her breath, “I don’t care why you’ve changed–I just want the old you back.” She thought, ‘This version of Yosef is genuinely terrifying. What could have driven him to this state?‘

    Yosef felt a sense of defeat; he found women to be much more challenging to understand than his work.

    To break the awkward tension between them, Juelz and Aimee. “Mr. Campbell, Miss Mask–please excuse the interruption. I brought my sister to apologize to Miss Mask.” Juelz didn’t know her name, so he could only refer to her as “Miss Mask.”

    Aimee had just taken the antidote and was still not fully recovered. Juelz pulled her over to apologize. While she seethed with unexpressed anger, her face appeared dark and displeased.