Arielle had grown careful, but careful was not enough. Every move she made now was calculated, sometimes too much so. She had learned that overplanning could be just as suspicious as being reckless. Kairo’s eyes followed her in ways that felt sharper each day.
She tested the edges of his watch.
It began with the kitchen. Normally, Kairo’s men hovered close, even when she cooked. But on Tuesday afternoon, she dismissed the staff early, saying she wanted to make dinner herself. The guards lingered for a moment before stepping away. Arielle listened to the fading sound of their footsteps down the hallway.
She pulled her phone from the counter drawer—her own, but modified and monitored. She never dared to type anything direct, but she tried something small. She opened the notes app and scri
