Mateo cleared his throat softly. "I'll step out and handle those calls, boss." He walked toward the door, and just before he left, he glanced briefly at Daniella. There was no warning in his look, only a quiet reassurance. Then he was gone.
The door clicked shut.
Santiago did not speak immediately. He reached for the tablet on the side table and began scrolling through something— reports, messages, Daniella could not tell. The silence between them was not uncomfortable, exactly, but it was heavy. She could feel his presence like a weight at the edge of the bed.
After a few minutes, she put the spoon down. "You don't have to stay," she said quietly. "I know you're busy."
Santiago did not look up from the tablet. "I know I don't have to."
Daniella pressed her lips together. That was not an answer, but it was also not an argument. She pulled the blanket higher around her shoulders and settled back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling.
