Zayn’s POV
Alina would be pleased. She had to be.
I stared down at the papers in my hand, the ink still fresh on Elias’s signature. A slow smile tugged at my lips as I stepped into the house. Finally. He’d signed.
I opened my mouth to call her name, then hesitated. If she asked how… what would I say? How could I explain what it took to make Elias bend?
“Zayn?”
Her voice cut through the silence, sending my heart into a wild stutter. I shoved the papers behind my back as she appeared in the doorway, eyes curious, head tilted.
“When did you get here?” she asked, her tone light but probing.
“I… I just got here,” I managed, forcing a smile that felt awkward on my face.
Her gaze sharpened, flicking to my hidden hand. “What’s behind you?” She started toward me.
I instinctively stepped ba
