CHAPTER 29

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