Chapter 167

Stephano sat with his lists sprawled out before him, contemplating why Patricia had stuck around for so long. As he scrutinized the entries detailing what he believed were acts of kindness towards her, he realized they were more about fulfilling his own desires to draw her closer. Every gesture, every effort to please, ultimately served his own agenda. Even as he listed his reasons for wanting to marry her, he couldn't escape the nagging feeling that they were all superficial, lacking any appreciation for her intellect or inner qualities. Only once had he mentioned the idea of starting a business together, envisioning it as a means to keep her by his side constantly. In truth, it was a thinly veiled scheme to monitor her every move, with him handling all external interactions while she toiled away on the computer programming in the background.

When he turned his attention to why Patricia might want to marry him, he struggled to conjure up more than a single reason: "