I watched Rafael's face carefully as I waited for his response. His dark eyes studied me like he was trying to figure out if I was playing some kind of game.
"What exactly are you asking for?" he repeated.
I straightened my shoulders and met his gaze directly. "I want my mother to live here. With us."
The silence that followed was so complete I could hear the clock ticking in the hallway.
Rafael's expression changed immediately. The relaxed morning mood disappeared.
"No."
The word hit me like a slap. "What?"
"I said no. Your mother cannot live in my house."
I stared at him, stunned. I had expected him to negotiate, to ask for something in return. I hadn't expected a flat refusal.
"Why not?"
"Because Elena Cruize is a liability I can't afford."
"She's my mother."
“It doesn’t ma
