Seth couldn't stop thinking about Emma. He'd never felt such a strong connection with someone before. But as he walked away from the bakery, he sensed a presence behind him. He turned to see the demon standing in the shadows, its eyes gleaming with amusement.
"You're getting close, Seth," the demon said, its voice low and menacing. "You're finding the one you're supposed to marry. But remember, time is running out. You have 364 days left."
Seth clenched his fists, feeling a surge of frustration. "I know," he growled. "But what if I don't want to marry her just to break the curse? What if I want to be with her for real?"
The demon chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound. "You can't have it both ways, Seth. The curse is clear: marry within the year, or suffer the consequences. Don't get distracted by your feelings. You need to focus on the task at hand."
Seth scowled, feeling trapped. He didn't know what to do. Part of him wanted to follow the demon's advice and use Emma to break the curse. But another part of him wanted to get to know Emma better, to see if there was something real between them.
As the demon vanished into thin air, Seth felt a sense of unease. He knew he had to make a decision, and fast. Would he follow his heart or his head?
Meanwhile, Emma was thinking about Seth too. She couldn't shake the feeling that she'd seen him before, or that there was something familiar about him. She shrugged it off, attributing it to her imagination.
But as she went about her day, she found herself wondering what Seth's story was. What had brought him to her bakery, and what was he hiding behind those piercing eyes?