22

Ciara Mendes

After the bellboy directed us to a small shop located within the hotel, we made our way there in silence. Giovanni hadn't said much since I found him on the balcony; he seemed lost in thought, so I chose to follow him without saying a word.

Upon entering the store, we found only three customers inside: a man and what appeared to be his spouse, who were busy browsing souvenirs, and a blonde woman engaged in conversation with the only store clerk present.

As soon as the store clerk noticed us enter, she stopped talking to the woman and smiled at us, prompting the woman to turn her gaze in our direction as well.

"Good morning, how can I help you?" she asked, her tone much kinder than the store clerks in L.A. The blonde woman's gaze locked onto me, making me feel uncomfortable, before her eyes shifted to Giovanni, giving him a knowing look that added an air of intrigue to the scene.

I glanced at Giovanni, hoping for a clue about the situation, but he qui