Chapter 60
Federico returned to the chamber he shared with Azalea late that night. He was quiet, his footsteps soft against the marble floor as he entered. Azalea, seated near the fireplace with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, didn’t bother looking up. She appreciated the silence. Chitchat was the last thing on her mind.
She had barely left her room all day. The weight of uncertainty had pressed against her chest like a stone, growing heavier with each hour. Federico said nothing as he undressed, gathering a towel and slipping into the adjoining bathroom. Water trickled for a while, steady, calm, mechanical—before silence returned once again. He emerged, clean and wordless, slipped beneath the covers, and within minutes, was fast asleep.
Azalea, however, couldn’t sleep. Somethi
