At the Mansion
The iron gates creaked open, the black SUV rolling into the driveway of Armando's mansion. The weight of the night's events pressed heavily on his shoulders as the engine cut off, leaving the night eerily silent. Armando stepped out, his movements deliberate and composed, masking the turmoil roiling inside him.
The porch light cast a soft glow on the front door, which opened just as he approached. Jessica stood there, her frame silhouetted against the warm light of the foyer. Her face was pale, her lips trembling as tears welled up in her deep brown eyes. She didn’t wait for him to step inside—she closed the distance between them in a few hurried steps, her arms wrapping around his torso tightly, as if he might disappear if she let go.
“Armando,” she whispered, her voic
