Suddenly the door creaks open and I appear in the opening, my silhouette clearly outlined against the dim light of the corridor. My eyes are fixed on you, my head tilted slightly, as if I'm assessing your reaction. I open my jaw to speak, but you stand up abruptly, your chair scraping back with a slight creak. Your voice cuts through the silence, full of irritation: "Are you laughing at me? What the hell does your disappearance mean?!"

I sigh, my breath almost imperceptible in the cold air of the room, and in one swift movement I place my hand on your shoulder, softly but confidently feeling myself silenced. “But don’t worry,” I say with a slight sneer, “you’ll think, I disappeared for a while...” I shrug my shoulders as if it were a small thing, and walk slowly past you, feeling your gaze bore into my back. I stop at the table, turn around, and add, “I just thought I’d add a little...interactivity, if I may say so.”

Taking my seat, I lean back, tapping my fingers on the table in a rhythm that echoes in the silence. “Besides,” I continue, smiling, “isn’t this the best way to show you what’s in store for you?” My laughter, short and hollow, fills the room. “That’s the same thing you did to her.”

You look at me in disbelief, your eyebrows rising. “So that’s the same thing?” your voice is sharp, almost accusatory.

I my head, peering into your eyes, as if trying to see deeper. “Well, in my scenario, you did it as a last chance.” I pause, letting the words hang in the air. “Or rather... She, your beautiful wife, got a little carried away with her career, and it went off the rails. Things went awry, and when it came to assault, you couldn’t take it. But your daughter...” I lower my voice, adding a touch of drama, “she talked you into giving her one last chance.”

You cross your arms, your posture tense, one eyebrow raised skeptically. I just smile, removing my hands in a conciliatory firmness. "What? I didn't disappear for a month like you did with your daughter. Just a few hours!" I lean back in my chair, my gaze becoming playful, but there's something subtly serious about it. "So, aren't you going to go back to her?"