The man held Emma Hart close, his gaze not on her but fixed intently on the projection in front of them, as if the person who had just pulled Emma into his embrace wasn't him at all.
The projection was playing the opening scene of the movie "E.T.," a film all too familiar to Emma Hart, yet seemingly out of character for the man's usual taste, who had previously shown disdain for it.
"Why insist on watching it with me if you find it boring?" Emma Hart asked, not quite catching the mood.
Without looking at Emma, the man brushed off her comment, likening responding to her to engaging in a pointless argument with a child.
Damien Sterling's fingers lightly tapped on Emma's shoulder, pondering something, before he picked up the juice beside him and brought it to Emma's lips without asking—a bold move essentially telling Emma, "Drink!"
