95

Patricia's confession hung in the air like an uninvited guest at a party. Marco stared at her, disbelief etched across his face.

"Did you just say you're nineteen?" Marco's voice wavered with a mix of shock and amusement.

Patricia bit her lower lip, regretting her slip-up. "I, uh, well... yeah," she stammered, trying to backtrack. "I mean, isn't that what I've been telling you all along?"

Marco's eyebrows shot up, and he chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "You really had me fooled, Patricia. You've been playing the part of a seasoned spy with such finesse, I never suspected you were just a teenager."

She gave him a sheepish grin, her earlier worries momentarily forgotten. "I guess I'm a good actress."

Marco's laughter filled the room, and he pulled Patricia into a warm embrace. "You're more than that. You're incredible," he whispered into her ear.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, the world outside seemed to fade away. Patricia's worries about Chloe and her fami