Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty Nine

Elena’s POV

The silence between us was deafening.

Valerio sat at the edge of the bed, elbows resting on his knees, head bowed slightly like a man trying to make sense of something that refused to make sense.

The dim light from the lamp carved sharp shadows across his jaw, making him look even more unreadable.

I stood by the window, my fingers twisting the hem of my coat. The words I needed to say sat heavy on my tongue, thick with shame.

“Sit,” he said finally, not looking up. His tone wasn’t harsh, but it carried that quiet authority that made my heart race anyway.

I obeyed, perching on the far end of the bed. The air between us felt too heavy, too intimate, like even breathing might break something fragile.

His voice came low, calm, almost detached. “What are you here for, Elena?”

I froze.

My lips parted, but the words refused to come. I wanted to lie.

God, I wanted to tell him I just came to see him that it wasn’t about money or fear or my father. But I’d alre