11

The morning sunlight of the Maldives streamed through the curtains, bathing the villa's wooden floor in warm golden hues. The pain in her ankle had subsided to a dull throbbing thanks to the painkillers Aaron had given her the night before, but the weight on her chest felt even heavier. She had been awake since dawn, staring at the canopy ceiling, trying to understand Aaron's contradictory behavior the night before. In the villa's living room, the atmosphere was bustling. Eric was checking some documents on his tablet while two servants tidied up large suitcases. Aaron stood near the glass window facing the pier, making a phone call in a low but authoritative voice. "Cancel the meeting at Vederian. We're going straight to the city of Celra after stopping at the mansion," Aaron said coldly. "I want the warehouse audit report on my desk before I land." Aaron hung up the phone, his face looking more tense than usual. There was urgent business abroad, something that required his physica