The private elevator ride to the penthouse felt entirely different tonight. There were no tense silences masking unspoken threats, no strategic calculations running through their minds, and no corporate landmines waiting to be stepped on. As the heavy glass doors glided open to reveal the sprawling, high-rise sanctuary bathed in the amber glow of the Maputo city lights below, the heavy weight of the past weeks finally evaporated into the cool night air.
Alex didn't immediately turn toward his office or reach for his phone to check the after-hours stock tickers, a ritual that had once defined every waking moment of his life. Instead, he shrugged off his suit jacket, tossing it carelessly over the back of a leather armchair before unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt. His dark eyes remained
