It was late afternoon when Thor stepped into the elevator leading to his penthouse. The day had drained him, but as always, all he wanted was to get home and see Celina. When the elevator doors slid open, Mrs. Cortez — ever attentive — appeared from the kitchen, her warm smile greeting him.

“Everything all right, my dear?” she asked gently.

“All good, Mrs. Cortez,” Thor replied, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “How’s Celina? How was her day?”

“She came back, had lunch, and locked herself in the study ever since,” the woman said with a hint of concern. “I brought her a snack earlier, but she was awfully quiet today.”

Thor nodded and headed straight for the study. He knocked lightly before opening the door. Celina sat curled up in the armchair, clutching one of her notebooks to her chest.

“Vida?” he called softly.

She looked up and gave him a faint smile. “Hi, love.”

“How was your day?” he asked, stepping closer.

“I did the exams, then went to the IMS, had coffee at Balaio, an