The tension from the previous night still lingered in the air as Alina stood in the kitchen the next morning, brewing coffee. The villa felt quieter than usual, almost as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.
Adrian had left early again, leaving only a brief note on the counter:
“I’ll be back by dinner. Don’t overthink last night. Trust me.”
Trust. The word weighed heavily on her mind as she sipped her coffee. She wanted to believe him, to let his promise of protection erase the nagging doubts. But Victoria’s voice echoed in her thoughts: “She’s not cut out for your world.”
Alina clenched her mug tightly. She wasn’t going to let Victoria’s words undermine her. If Adrian believed in her, then she had to believe in herself too.
Later that morning, Alina heard the doorbell e
