The villa was quiet that night, the kind of heavy silence that pressed itself against the walls. Outside, the sea whispered faintly, waves brushing the shore like secrets no one dared to speak. The celebration noise of the day had already faded, the guests locked in their rooms, leaving the corridors hollow.
Xavier was seated on the patio, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He hadn't even touched it. The golden liquid caught the dim lights and glowed like fire, but his mind was far away. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, tie discarded. He looked less like the untouchable CEO and more like a man who had too much to carry and no place to drop the weight.
Cody walked in from the hallway, a bottle in hand, his easy smile forcing light into the tension.
"Man, this villa feels haunted when it's
