Chapter 72

• The late afternoon sunlight streamed through the window of Rafael’s study, casting long shadows on the polished wooden floor. The room, usually a sanctuary for his thoughts and plans, felt unusually tense today. Rafael leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the security footage looping on his laptop. He had grown accustomed to checking the feeds regularly, a precaution he hated but couldn’t afford to abandon.
• A sharp knock at the door broke his focus. Rafael closed the laptop and stood, his expression neutral as he opened the door to find Angelo standing there, his broad frame filling the doorway.
• “Angelo,” Rafael said, gesturing for him to enter. “Wasn’t expecting you.”