Meanwhile, that same evening, calm finally settled over Emilia’s modest apartment.
For the first time all day, her shoulders loosened as she stood by the window, trying to catch a breath after looking at her laptop all day. Her laptop lay open on the small dining table, numbers and projections glowing faintly on the screen—proof that the project she had fought so hard for was finally moving forward. Relief wrapped around her chest, fragile but real.
Behind her, the bedroom door creaked open.
Dante stepped out quietly, fully dressed despite the late hour. He crossed the room like a shadow, careful not to disturb the peace she had finally found. When he reached her, he gently took her hand and kissed her knuckles.
“Looks like you’re done with work,” he said softly.
She smiled tiredly an
