Sylvia paced her room, the soft carpet muffling her restless footsteps. The gala was only one week away, and the pressure was suffocating. Every interaction with Julian felt like she was walking a tightrope, her emotions pulling her one way, her mission another. She couldn’t afford any mistakes. Not when everything was so close to being over.
Rocco’s voice rang in her mind from their earlier briefing. “Stay sharp, Sylvia. You’re too close to the target. Emotions will ruin you. Get the job done and get out.”
She clenched her fists, exhaling sharply. Emotions were the problem. They were her weakness, and Julian was exploiting every crack she had.
A knock on the door jolted her out of her thoughts. She turned sharply, narrowing her eyes. “Who is it?”
“It’s me,” Luciana’s voice came throug
