After enduring a bout of nausea in the restroom, Chloe felt a bit better and decided to step out. But as she pushed open the door, Joseph was standing right outside, his eyes dark and swarming with a myriad of emotions.
"I saw the photos," he said.
Chloe stood there in a daze, and then she saw Joseph holding her phone tightly in his hand.
"I can explain. It’s not what you think. Icarus and I are not—"
"You've disappointed me greatly," Joseph interrupted her, "I asked you many times today, giving you plenty of opportunities to tell me, yet you didn't say a word."
'Am I truly that undeserving of her trust? Does she really prefer to carry this burden alone or seek Tyson's help rather than turning to me?'
As she heard his words, her heart tightened in her throat. Believing he was angry, she said, "Please believe me. Nothing happened between Icarus and me that day. They forced me to take off my clothes. If you don't believe me, I can call Icarus right now to prove it."
“Enough!" Joseph gritted his teeth, cutting her off.
Like any other man, he too felt furious upon seeing such photos. The irony was that the overwhelming rush of anxiety and fear overshadowed his anger. He dreaded the thought of those indecent photos falling into someone else's hands. It would cause irreparable harm to her and leave a lasting shadow on her life. Yet, she persisted in explaining herself, afraid he would not trust her.
Seeing her like this left a bitter feeling in Joseph's heart.
"Joseph..." Chloe softly called his name, unsure of what to say.
"Go to the room," Joseph commanded, taking a deep breath to calm himself.
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