I leaned against the cool bathroom tiles, trying to slow my breathing. The tension between Thiago and me was reaching a dangerous peak, and I knew I had to be careful. His possessiveness was suffocating, and I was teetering on the edge of something I wasn’t sure I could control. I splashed cold water on my face, hoping to clear my mind. But as I looked at my reflection, I could still see the lingering fear and confusion in my eyes. What was I doing? This arrangement with Thiago had started as a means to get my revenge and a way to secure my future. But now...now it was spiraling into something darker, something I couldn’t easily escape.I dried my face and straightened up, trying to muster the strength to face him again. But when I opened the bathroom door, I found the suite empty. Thiago was gone.For a moment, I felt a pang of relief. Maybe he needed some space to cool off. But then a wave of unease washed over me. Where had he gone? Was he planning something?I hurried to the win
The air outside the hotel was thick with tension as I hurried out, my mind racing. I had to stop Thiago. The thought of him confronting Jacob, an innocent man, out of some twisted sense of jealousy terrified me. If I didn’t make it in time, who knew what Thiago might do? My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a reminder of how little time I had.But just as I reached the entrance, a hand grabbed my arm, yanking me back. I turned sharply, ready to fight off whoever it was, only to see Lucia, her face flushed and her breathing labored. She must have chased after me the moment I left the room."Madam Ceo, wait!" she gasped, holding onto me as she tried to catch her breath. "You can't go. If President Bermudez finds out you’re there, it’ll only make things worse."I pulled my arm free, my mind made up. “I don’t care, Lucia. Jacob is innocent. Thiago’s jealousy is out of control, and I’m not going to stand by and let him ruin someone’s life because of it.”“Do you really think you can sto
The night felt heavier as I returned to the hotel room, the silence almost suffocating. Lucia gave me a concerned look before excusing herself to her own room, leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts. I paced the room, trying to piece together what was happening. Thiago’s sudden shift in behavior, his cryptic warning—none of it made any sense.I couldn’t sleep. My mind was a whirlpool of anxiety, each thought dragging me deeper into uncertainty. Why was Thiago so adamant about leaving? What was he planning? The answers felt just out of reach, taunting me with their elusiveness. I couldn’t even confront him since he had not return to our hotel room. Where could he be out now this late?Unable to stand the oppressive quiet any longer, I decided to step out onto the balcony, hoping the fresh air might clear my head. The breeze was cool against my skin, but it did little to calm the storm inside me. Below, the resort grounds were quiet, the sound of the ocean’s waves the only thing
As soon as we touched down in Miami, the unease that had clung to me in the Maldives refused to fade, lingering like a dark cloud on the horizon. The trip had been a whirlwind—a chaotic blend of tension, jealousy, and unanswered questions. Despite the familiar surroundings of home, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was terribly off, as though I was missing crucial pieces to a puzzle I hadn't even known existed.Thiago, on the other hand, seemed as composed as ever. His commanding presence was even more pronounced now, as if the return to Miami had only sharpened his focus. But I could barely keep up with the thoughts racing through my mind. Who would want to track me down? And were they also planning to harm me? If that would be the case, I couldn’t even come up with any idea who might be behind it?My father, my ex-husband, my stepsister—they all had reasons to resent me, but none of them struck me as the type to orchestrate something this dangerous. And yet, I co
As Thiago stepped out of the room, leaving me alone on the bed, the lingering warmth of our interrupted encounter slowly began to dissipate, replaced by a cold, creeping sense of unease. I couldn’t just lie there, waiting for him to return. The nagging questions in my mind refused to be silenced, and I knew I needed answers.I pulled on a robe and quietly followed Thiago, the soft padding of my feet on the floor the only sound in the otherwise silent house. His voice, low and controlled, drifted from his study, where the door was slightly ajar. I hesitated, not wanting to eavesdrop, but my curiosity got the better of me.“This had better be important,” I heard him say, his tone clipped and authoritative. There was a pause as the person on the other end spoke, and I strained to hear, catching only a few scattered words—“Miami,” “security breach,” “target.” My heart skipped a beat, my breath catching in my throat. Was this about me?Thiago’s response was curt, “I want a full report
It had been several days since we returned from the Maldives, and yet, something felt off. I couldn’t quite place it, but the unease gnawed at me like an itch I couldn’t scratch. Every morning, I woke up alone, and it had become disturbingly routine. Thiago was always gone by the time I opened my eyes. No more lazy mornings watching him get dressed in front of me, no stolen kisses before he left for work. Just an empty bed and an unsettling quiet.I tried to tell myself it wasn’t a big deal—maybe he was busy, handling whatever threat he mentioned that night after the phone call. But every time I woke up to the cool side of the bed where Thiago should’ve been, the knot in my stomach tightened. What could he possibly be doing so early in the mornings that he couldn’t share with me? It wasn’t like him to be secretive—at least, not with me.Shaking off the thought, I refocused on my work. I had responsibilities at the company, and I couldn't let my concerns with Thiago interfere with t
The rest of the day passed in a blur of meetings, emails, and phone calls, but no matter how hard I tried to immerse myself in work, I couldn’t shake the nagging thoughts about Thiago. His absence in the mornings, the phone call that interrupted our intimate moment, the vague warning about the people pursuing us—it all played on a loop in my mind.That night, I tried to stay up later than usual, hoping to catch Thiago when he got home. I settled into the living room with a glass of wine, pretending to read, but my ears were attuned to every sound. The clock ticked steadily, each minute feeling like an eternity. Finally, I heard the front door click open. My heart leaped in my chest as Thiago stepped inside, his tall frame silhouetted in the dim light. He looked exhausted, his shirt slightly rumpled, and the tension in his shoulders made it clear that whatever he’d been dealing with had taken its toll.He froze when he saw me, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. “You’re sti
The tension between Thiago and me hung in the air like a storm about to break. After his confession, everything felt different, darker, as if the walls of our world were closing in. I couldn’t shake the fear that now gnawed at me, not only for myself but for the man I had committed to stand beside. The next few days were strained. Thiago was often absent, sometimes leaving in the middle of the night, always returning with the same grim look on his face, as if he had been fighting shadows I couldn’t see. I busied myself with work, diving into projects with a ferocity that surprised even Lucia and Marcus, but no amount of distractions could keep me from wondering what Thiago was up to—or what dangers were closing in.It wasn’t until one night, after another long, tense day, that things came to a head.I was sitting at the dinner table, pushing food around my plate when Thiago walked in, his face drawn, eyes dark with whatever burdens he had been carrying. He sat down across from me, n