CHAPTER 16 — BREAKING POINT
Silence, Amara learned, could be louder than gunfire.
It followed her through the halls of the estate, curled itself into the corners of every room, settled between her and Alessandro like an unspoken agreement neither of them dared to break. It wasn’t hostile. It wasn’t cold.
It was careful.
For three days after Marco’s exposure and quiet removal, the house remained tense. Guards moved with sharper alertness, conversations dropped whenever Alessandro passed, and eyes lingered on Amara with a curiosity that made her skin prickle.
She was no longer just a guest.
She was leverage.
And Alessandro knew it.
So did she.
They moved around each other with a strange politeness. Shared meals in silence. Passed in corridors with restrained nods. At night, Amara la
