Anika felt a flicker of fear before her courage surged back. She had lost everything. Fear had no grip on her anymore.

Her laughter was sardonic. "I came close to winning you over, didn't I?"

Once discharged, Leonel found solace in the solitude of his villa, a stark contrast to its usual warmth. The once vibrant walls stood mute, the air bereft of laughter and culinary aromas, the nights devoid of the children's chatter. The silence was deafening.

He found refuge on the balcony as dusk approached.

The servant, seeking to rouse him, climbed the stairs with an invitation to supper. After a second call, Leonel extinguished his cigarette and inquired with a nonchalance that didn't reach his eyes, “Has Mrs. Douglas returned recently?"