The silence between them wasn’t just quiet it pressed in, heavy, almost suffocating. Alessia felt it squeezing her chest, each second Rafael refused to answer just making it worse.
She tried again, her voice barely above a whisper. “What happened to her?”
This time, her voice stayed steady. But her heart yeah, that was pounding.
Rafael stayed completely still. Didn’t even blink. But something shifted just a little in his face. Not much, but enough for Alessia to catch.
This meant something.
More than anything else.
“She trusted the wrong people,” he finally said. The words came out calm, almost too controlled. But underneath, Alessia heard something jagged. Personal.
She frowned. “That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting right now.”
Her jaw clenched. Frustration fl
