Leo walked in carrying another file tucked beneath his arm. Perfectly dressed. Perfectly calm. Too calm.

"There you are," he said smoothly, walking toward her. "I’ve been trying to reach you." Amira watched him silently. Leo placed the file carefully on the table.

"I need your signature urgently," he explained casually. "There are a few approvals that cannot wait."

Amira didn’t touch the file. Instead, she stared at him. Really stared at him. At his polished smile. His easy confidence. The practiced charm he wore so naturally.

And suddenly... She wondered how much of it was real. "You think I’m stupid, don’t you?" Leo blinked once. The question clearly caught him off guard.

"Excuse me?" Amira sat up straighter, slowly. "You heard me." Her voice was quiet now. Too quiet. Leo’s expression shifted carefully into confusion.

"Amira, where is this coming from?" But she kept staring at him. Watching him. Studying every tiny reaction on his face.

"Do you even love me?" That question hung heavily between them. For the first time since entering the room, Leo stopped moving completely. The silence stretched. Amira felt her heart beating harder while waiting for his answer. Because suddenly...

She wasn’t sure she actually knew the man standing in front of her anymore. Leo stared at her for a moment before letting out a small sigh like he was already tired of the conversation.

"I married you, didn’t I?" The words landed heavily in the room. Not romantic. Not reassuring. It sounded like a transaction.

Like he believed putting a ring on her finger should already answer every question she had. Amira felt something cold settle in her chest. Because for the first time, she realized how often Leo answered emotional questions with practical ones.

Never vulnerable. Never sincere. Always careful. Always polished. She looked at him steadily. "I asked if you love me." Leo loosened his tie slightly and gave her that familiar, charming smile she once found comforting.

"You know I love you." Casual. Easy. Dismissive. Then he pushed the file gently toward her. "Now be a good girl and sign these documents," he said smoothly. "I need to get back to the company." Something inside Amira hardened instantly at the phrase good girl.

Slowly, she picked up the file. But instead of signing, she placed it beside her. "Leave them there," she said calmly. "I’ll go through them first." Leo blinked.

Then laughed softly in disbelief. "Wait." His smile faded slightly. "Go through them?" Amira met his eyes directly. "Yes." A flicker of irritation crossed Leo’s face before disappearing just as quickly.

"You don’t trust me now?" he asked, sounding offended. Amira stood from the couch slowly. "The company is collapsing, Leo." Her voice sounded exhausted more than angry.

"We need to be careful with money now." She crossed her arms tightly against herself.

"So anything involving spending or moving more funds is being paused." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Except supplier payments and employee salaries." Leo stared at her carefully.

"Where is this coming from?"

"I’m finally paying attention," Amira replied quietly. That answer unsettled him more than yelling would have. Leo walked closer, softening his expression immediately. "I thought we were a team."

Amira looked away bitterly. "Well..." she whispered, "it feels like you left my team a long time ago." Leo’s jaw tightened. For a second, something colder flashed through his eyes.

But then the charming mask returned again. He stepped closer, clearly preparing to sweet-talk his way out of the situation like always. Before suddenly. A loud knock echoed through the apartment.

Both of them froze. Another knock came. Sharper this time. "Police!" Amira frowned immediately. Leo’s face changed so quickly it was almost invisible. But not invisible enough. His heart skipped violently inside his chest.

The police? Why? One officer stepped inside after security opened the door downstairs.

"Mrs. Amira Vence?" Amira nodded slowly. The officer’s expression remained professional.

"We need you to come with us." Amira stared at him in confusion. "What?"

"It concerns the murder investigation of your mother, Mrs. Arabella Pedro Piers." The entire room went still. Amira’s face drained of color instantly.

"What are you talking about?" she whispered. Leo felt cold sweat form instantly beneath his collar.

"You are being brought in for questioning again," the officer continued carefully. "What again. I didn’t do it," Amira said immediately, panic rising in her voice. Her breathing became uneven as the reality of the situation hit her.

"No...No, I didn’t kill my mother." Leo stepped forward quickly, then, placing a hand against her back like a supportive husband.

"It’s okay," he said gently. "I’ll handle this." Amira looked at him desperately.

"Leo..."

"I’ll get you out," he promised softly. The officers began guiding her toward the door carefully while Amira kept trying to explain herself through growing panic.

"I didn’t do anything..." Leo nodded the entire time, reassuringly. "Everything will be fine." But the second the police led Amira out of the apartment. Leo’s expression changed completely.

The concern vanished. The panic disappeared. And in its place came something far uglier. Relief. Pure relief. His shoulders loosened slightly as he watched the elevator doors close behind her.

Because finally. For the first time since the investigation started. Nobody was looking at him.

—

The private hospital sat quietly on the edge of the city, all white walls and tinted glass, looking too clean for the kind of tension sitting inside Amara’s chest. The morning air carried the sharp smell of rain that never came, heavy clouds hanging low above the building like they were waiting for something terrible to happen.

Amara sat in one of the leather chairs in the waiting area, her fingers twisting together in her lap. Every few seconds, her eyes drifted toward the entrance doors.

Still no Sebastian.

Beside her, Julian paced back and forth with his phone pressed against his ear. His patience had been gone almost an hour ago. Now irritation rolled off him in waves.

"He’s not answering again," Julian muttered before pulling the phone away and checking the screen like maybe it had suddenly changed its mind.