The sound of Liam and Olívia’s footsteps echoed down the elegant corridor of the Holt mansion.

She walked beside him in silence, heart still racing from their earlier conversation. The air between them crackled with tension, and with every step the atmosphere shifted—from private discomfort to carefully rehearsed public performance.

When they reached the dining room, the voices stopped. Frederico, seated at the head of the table, lifted his eyes slowly. That sharp, unflinching gaze seemed capab