That day ended with Celia and Thomas celebrating a victory that wasn’t theirs to begin with. Emilia, on the other hand, quietly made her way back to the house she and Dante stayed in. The moment she stepped inside, the exhaustion on her face was unmistakable.
Dante was in the living room, a cup of coffee in hand after putting Leonardo to bed. The clock was nearing nightfall. Emilia had been gone since morning—ever since the humiliating scene at Apollo Constructions—and she hadn’t returned any of Dante’s calls. The longer she stayed out, the more he felt something was wrong.
The moment he saw her walk in, he stood up sharply.
“Emilia?” His voice carried alarm as he hurried toward her. “What happened? What’s with your face? You were supposed to be happy today.”
Emilia lifted her head, an
