LOGINThe building rose high in the heart of Berlin’s business district, its wide glass panels reflecting the bright midday sky while the traffic below moved in steady order. The car carrying Cale came to a smooth stop at the main entrance, and without delay, a staff member stepped forward to greet him wi
Morning came quietly.Breakfast passed in a strange silence, not awkward, but not comfortable either. The soft clink of cutlery filled the space, occasionally broken by a quiet breath, but no real conversation followed.Lydia looked at her plate more often than at Cale. It wasn’t that she lacked app
The question didn’t receive an immediate answer from Cale.Instead, he let out a long breath and leaned back against the sofa. He gestured for his wife to come closer—but Lydia didn’t move. If anything, her gaze sharpened, her arms still crossed tightly over her chest.“Answer my question first, Cal
And somehow, that made everything feel even more intense.Every now and then, Lydia glanced at him. Without realizing it, she kept wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue—a small gesture that didn’t go unnoticed. It pulled a knowing smile from Cale.The elevator doors slid open.They walked towa
“Are you… seriously expecting me to keep wearing this?” Lydia whispered, disbelief clear in her voice as she walked with something still inside her.“What do you think?” Cale shot her a teasing glance, his arm slipping around her waist in an affectionate hold. “Should I increase the intensity, my lo
“I could do it,” Lydia replied before she had time to think it through.“Then there’s no problem.” His tone was far too casual.And somehow, that was exactly what unsettled her.“Cale,” she said, her voice softer now as she looked at him, “you’re really impossible.”“Maybe.”“This is a public place.
“I asked someone to keep an eye on Selena. You knew that, right?”Ah—right. One of Erick’s trusted people had been assigned to monitor Selena and her movements closely. “So what did he find?”“There was absolutely no change in her usual routine. Selena never met anyone else. All she did was shop, ta
“Why would I be?” Josh asked calmly. “We’re both under pressure, just in different ways.”Eli let out a long breath. “I… I never wanted to force things like this. But—” She trailed off, lowering her head again.Josh nodded in understanding. “I get it. How about we change the subject?”Eli finally la
“I didn’t realize you two were close,” Althea said, shifting slightly in her seat so she could speak more comfortably with Josh.The car rolled away from the restaurant at an easy pace. City lights flickered on one by one, their reflections sliding across the windows. Josh sat quietly in the passeng
“No,” she growled under her breath. “Not today.”Eli opened her eyes; her breath caught in her throat.“Tomorrow is important,” Selena continued, more to herself than to Eli. “Your face can’t look ruined.”Eli stared at her mother, confused. “Important for what?”“Go to your room,” Selena ordered. “







