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.
Cale looked at her for a moment longer than necessary. His gaze was far too intense for such a simple exchange. “Not really.”Lydia pushed lightly against his chest when he stepped a little closer. Cale let out a quiet grunt of annoyance but moved aside, allowing her to enter the room.Sure enough,
Eli’s question made the spoon in Riana’s hand pause midair.The silence that followed was immediate—thick, unmistakable.Because no one answered right away, Eli shifted in her seat, suddenly self-conscious. “She usually tells me,” she added softly. “But she hasn’t sent me a single message since this
“Sometimes I forget how comforting silence like this can be,” Chase said quietly.Althea nodded. “After years of chaos and noise, this is the kind of quiet I’ve learned to be most grateful for.”Chase turned to her, his gaze steady. “I hope all that chaos didn’t make you feel like you were any less.
The dining table at the Callister family estate was, as always, flawlessly set. The scent of toasted bread and strong black coffee mingled with the crisp morning air. At the head of the table, Daven stirred his coffee in slow, thoughtful circles. Across from him, Kate Callister ladled cream soup int







