He grinned, and my heart skipped a beat. "I wasn't teasing you. I'm sorry for leaving you without food. It's been a... busy day," he said, the smile fading from his face, replaced by a darker, more serious expression. "I had matters to attend to."

The coldness in his voice as he mentioned those "matters" sent a chill down my spine. I suddenly thought the wine might not be such a bad idea. Taking a sip, I cautiously set the glass back on the table.

It seemed that just a few sips of wine had stirred a newfound courage within me. "Why do you treat me like this?" I asked,...