31

"What kind of question is that?" he asked with a calm smile.

"You’re not Joseph. Who are you?"

"Why do you think that?" he replied cautiously.

"If it were Joseph, he wouldn’t have asked which butterflies," she said, deliberately sidestepping the point.

"Fine. If you want butterflies, I’ll bring them," he said, his tone tinged with jealousy.

"No," she answered, her eyes wide with fear.

"I came to tell you that we’ll be staying here," Knox declared, his demeanor shifting.

"Yesterday, you said we’d live on Earth," she replied, suspicion flashing in her eyes.

"That was yesterday. Earth isn’t safe anymore," he said harshly.

"Why isn’t it safe?" she asked, startled.

"In a few hours, there will be an explosion, and your planet will be destroyed. I brought you here to save your life," he said with an air of magnanimity.

"Oh God, what about my father?" she gasped, placing a hand on her forehead in anxiety.

"Can’t you save Earth? Please do something—Joseph… my father is still there!" she pleaded desperately. A smirk spread across Knox’s face, leaving Anna stunned.

"Are you smiling? How can you be so heartless?" she asked, disbelief etched on her face.

"If you insist, I’ll bring your father too," he offered.

"And the rest of humanity? What about them?" she screamed.

"Call Joseph! I need to talk to him," she demanded.

"So you still don’t believe me?"

"No! You’re full of anger, jealousy, and hatred. Joseph is nothing but love. You aren’t even a shadow of him," she shot back.

Knox’s face darkened with fury. "I don’t want to be your Joseph anymore!" he roared.

"Who are you?" she whispered, terror glinting in her eyes.

"Knox."

"Knox?" she asked uncertainly.

"Yes."

"No… that can’t be."

"Oh, it’s true. Joseph will die along with Earth, and I’ll rule this planet and the entire universe," he declared, his laughter echoing through the room.

"You’ll watch Joseph die with your own eyes so you’ll finally believe he’s gone," Knox sneered, his voice dripping with hatred.

Anna called out to Joseph, her voice filled with despair. But no matter how much she tried, her calls only echoed back to her. It was the first time her voice hadn’t reached him. Knox left, and Anna, alone and overwhelmed, prayed fervently for Joseph and for Earth.

In the stillness of the night, Joseph’s eyes suddenly opened as an uneasy feeling washed over him. He couldn’t pinpoint it, but he sensed something was terribly wrong. Closing his eyes, he sought Anna in his thoughts and found her sleeping peacefully.

Not sensing immediate danger on his planet—where nothing happened without his knowledge—his focus shifted to Earth. A wave of suffocation swept over him as realization dawned. Something catastrophic was unfolding there.

Joseph left his room and began walking, but with every step, his strength ebbed away. Falling to his knees, clutching his head, he gasped for air. Though he could survive without oxygen, he lacked the energy he needed to sustain himself. Darkness clouded his vision as he realized his system was under attack.

Who could dare to tamper with him? And how had they succeeded without his awareness? He struggled to rise but failed, his life hanging by a thread. Only sunlight could restore him, but it was nowhere to be found.

When Anna awoke, Knox was standing before her, his triumphant smile sending a chill through her. She leapt to her feet.

"Recite the Fatiha—you won’t even get to see his grave," Knox said coldly.

"What are you talking about?"

"I didn’t have to do much. He’s already dead," Knox replied, his face lit with twisted joy.

Anna’s tears flowed freely. "Why did you deceive Joseph?"

"He’s the deceiver. He deserved to be betrayed," Knox spat.

"He’s not a deceiver! Why are you his enemy?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Knox sneered. "Because Joseph took everything from me. My world, my love… and now I’ve taken it all back—his planet, his power, everything. And soon, his life will be mine too."

"Come with me. You’ll see for yourself," Knox said, grabbing her arm.

"No! Leave me alone," she begged, trying to pull away.

"Don’t worry. I’ve remodeled this entire castle for you. You can roam anywhere, but this will be your home forever," Knox said, his voice devoid of warmth.

Even after stepping outside the room, Anna’s strength remained intact. She called out to Joseph again, her voice trembling with desperation. But the echo of her own words was her only answer, and fresh tears welled up in her eyes.