“Faye.”

Seeing me, Joseph rushed over without a care for his disheveled appearance. “It’s you, isn’t it?”

I stood under the umbrella, observing him as one would a performer.

“You’re just trying to force me to yield. You want me to see how insignificant I am to the Chandlers, and that the Rehbeins can’t be crossed, so you want Melissa to have an abortion and for me to come back to you.”

Seeing me silent, Joseph assumed he understood everything.

“Faye, even if you’ve managed to get me this way, what does it matter? We can’t go back. Can’t you just let me go?”

Joseph actually believed that I was...