All Chapters of Till Death Do Us Part: Chapter 21 - Chapter 23

After three pieces, I was finally full. The TV was showing an old horror movie in black and white, and Marek seemed oddly content watching it. “Come closer,” he murmured after a while, his tone lighter. “I won’t bite… well, not yet.”He tugged at the duvet draped over him, and I hesitated before shifting slowly, following the pull until my shoulder brushed his. The warmth of him bled through the fabric.“You like movies?” he asked suddenly, catching me off guard.“Who doesn’t?” I replied, glancing at him.He chuckled, turning his face toward me. “I don’t care who doesn’t,” he said, voice soft but teasing. “I asked if you do.” I frowned slightly, unsure if it was a trick question. “Sure,” I said with a shrug.He grinned, eyes glinting with mischief. “You’re trying very hard to find the right answer, aren’t you? The one that keeps you here.”Was it that obvious? I pressed my lips together, shifting in my seat. “…Is there one?”His ice-blue eyes locked on mine, pinning me in place. “No.”

The rain had turned to mist as the hours stretched and night slowly gave way to morning.Santiago sat behind the wheel of the black SUV, one hand resting on the steering wheel, the other against his jaw. Every lead led to another dead end. Valerie Rousseau – no social media, no tax filings under the city database, no family registered locally. It was like she didn’t exist.“You sure Javier said Rousseau?” Julián asked hesitantly.“Yes, Julián – positive.” Santiago was starting to sound agitated.“I’ll start looking for all the Valeries in the city. Maybe she’s using a false name.”“A false name…” Santiago looked out the window, the sky turning pink as dawn approached.“I’ll keep you posted, jefe. But it might take some time. Maybe you should go home –? ““What about her parents’ name? Maybe one of them was Rousseau?”Julián went silent for a moment. “I’ll look up all birth certificates from twenty to twenty-five years ago.”“Good. Call me when you have something.”He dropped the phone