The hotel room felt far too vast for one person, yet far too narrow for Leonardo's spiraling thoughts. He tossed his car keys onto the marble table with a sharp, metallic ring. His blazer was draped carelessly over the sofa, and his shirt was a mess, with the top two buttons yanked open.
Only an hour ago, he had managed to slip out through the back exit of the police station, narrowly avoiding the swarm of reporters hungry for the "Murderer CEO" scandal. The strobe of camera flashes still seemed seared into his retinas, leaving a throbbing ache at his temples.
Leo walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the shimmering city lights. Down there, the world moved as if nothing had broken. But for him, everything was on the brink of collapse.
The phone in his pocket vibrated. A single name appeared on the screen, and the tension in Leo's shoulders instantly loosened, just a fraction.
Valerie.
