I Hate You as Much as I Love You

Emily's POV:

As I gazed upon my parents' graves, blanketed in snow, tears continued to stream down my face. Today marks my dad's birthday, and the depth of my longing for them is profound. How I long to embrace them once more, to feel their warmth in my arms.

"It felt like hell, didn't it? To lose your parents in a car accident when you were eight."

I quickly turned at the sound of the cold voice, my heart skipping a beat as I found myself mesmerized by the man standing next to me. His handsome face and captivating gray eyes locked onto mine, holding my attention firmly.

He's around 28, older than me. I'm 18 now. Tall and impeccably dressed in a sharp black suit, white shirt, gray tie, and a stylish black long coat. His neatly styled hair was a rich shade of dark brown. He really is beautiful. No one should be this good-looking.

As I found myself lost in his wintry smile, I suddenly realized I had forgotten to breathe. My cheeks are on fire as his spell over me broke. Swiftly, I averted my gaze from his, attempting to steady my rapid heartbeat.

It took a moment for me to find my voice. "How-how do you know about my parents?"

In nervousness, I stole another glance into those captivating eyes, waiting for a response that didn't come. A sense of unease washed over me as I met his gaze, feeling a chill run down my spine. The sheer intensity of hatred and anger emanating from his eyes sent a wave of fear through my body.

Without moving his eyes from me, he leans in closer to me. His big, firm hand gripped my face, immobilizing me. My heart races so fast that its thumping echoes in my ears.

"I know your dad better than you do. And I'm so glad he's rotting in hell right now," he said in a deep whisper.

Anger surged through me at what he said. "You bastard! Why did you curse my dad?!"

His grip on me grew stronger as I fought to break free. I'm frozen, scared to death, under the look in his eyes. Those eyes seemed to tell me he would make my life a living hell.

A devilish smile crossed his lips, revealing his delight in witnessing my fear. Right now, I feel like a helpless prey in the clutch of the beast.

With trembling hands, I pushed against his firm chest once more. The moment he loosened his grip, I hastily fled from his presence, my feet carrying me away without daring to glance behind. He instilled a profound fear within me.

I thought he was a handsome, kind man, but I was wrong. He is the devil behind his handsome face.

I halted at the bus stop, gasping for breath. Fearfully, I scanned my surroundings, but the man was nowhere in sight, easing my tension that he wasn't pursuing me.

As I settled into the seat ahead, a flurry of questions raced through my mind. 'Who is that man? Why did he curse my dad? And why did he treat me that way?'

The blare of the bus horn snapped me out of my reverie. Hastily, I rose from my seat and made my way onto the bus. All that's on my mind right now is leaving this place. I never want to meet that man again in my entire life.

***

As I stepped off the bus, I buried my hands deep into the pockets of my coat. The snow fell heavily, the frigid air cutting through me to the bone. Hastening my pace, I made my way to the old apartment where my aunt and I lived and went inside.

"Auntie May, I'm home," I said as I opened the door. My fear of that man vanished when I saw my aunt's warm smile. Smiling back at her, I walked over to the bed she was lying on and sat down next to her.

"How do you feel now?" I asked with concern, lightly touching her forehead.