Unexpected Visitor

The evening had been excruciating. Every minute at the restaurant with David felt like a test I wasn't prepared for. His polite smiles, small talk, and gentle laughter grated on my nerves. Every gesture, every question reminded me that this wasn't about attraction. It was about survival, about obeying Alan's twisted demands, about keeping my father alive.

I forced myself to smile, to nod, to laugh when appropriate. I answered questions about my work, my life, my hobbies, but every word felt hol