ANMELDENNaomi nodded again without hesitation. “Ah, I should get back to work.” She picked up a few cleaning tools, moving quickly—until—“Ouch!” Naomi winced, instinctively grabbing her wrist.A dark bruise was visible there.“I should go,” she added quickly.“Are you okay?” Lydia asked, startled by what s
The Berlin sky was bright that afternoon, but Lydia’s mood was anything but light. She wandered through a city park without direction, letting her steps carry her wherever they pleased. The rustling trees, the soft breeze, the people passing by—it all faded into the background.There was only one th
The 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
That morning, Althea tried to move through her routine as if nothing had changed, even though her eyes still felt heavy from the lack of sleep. She didn’t complain—not once. But the air felt different today, hollow somehow, now that the funeral was over. It was as if a new, aching emptiness had carv
“Here’s the report you requested, Sir.”Arsen placed a thick folder on Daven’s desk. The room hadn’t changed much—except for a framed family portrait positioned deliberately as the focal point of the space. He set the file down carefully, fully expecting Daven to pepper him with questions.Daven fli
“I heard you know her, Chris?” Cale asked, his eyes never leaving the documents his brother had given him.“When I first saw this photo,” Chris picked up one picture from the table, “I didn’t remember a thing. But… when she showed it again during our talk at the restaurant, bits of it started coming
“Do you have any other guests coming, Althea?” Kalina asked before she fully opened the door. The two housemaids were still busy in the kitchen and supply room, moving in and out with quiet efficiency.“No, no one else,” Althea answered, confused.“Who knows, might be an important one.” Felicia fin







