The tension from earlier didn't disappear.
It lingered.
Quiet. Unresolved.
Alicia stayed in her studio longer than usual.
Her pencil moved, but her thoughts didn't follow.
You shouldn't be alone.
She exhaled sharply.
"I've been alone my whole life," she muttered.
A soft knock came.
"Come in."
Lina stepped in carefully.
"Lunch is ready, ma'am."
"I'm not hungry."
Lina hesitated.
"…Mr. Alejandro asked that you join him."
Alicia paused.
Of course he did.
Downstairs, the dining room felt different again.
Not tense.
But not relaxed either.
Michael was already seated.
He looked up as Alicia entered.
"You took your time."
"I was working."
"Skipping meals isn't efficient."
Alicia sat down across from him.
"I didn't know you were monitoring that too."
A small silence followed.
Then
"You misunderstood earlier," Michael said.
Alicia raised an eyebrow.
"Did I?"
"Yes."
Something in his tone felt different.
Not distant.
Not dismissive.
Just… honest.
Alicia looked down briefly.
Then back at him.
"I don't want to feel like I'm being watched."
Michael's gaze didn't shift.
"You're not."
Outside
The man in the car adjusted his position slightly.
Still. Silent. Watching.
Inside
Alicia let out a quiet breath.
"Then don't make it feel that way."
A pause.
Then Michael nodded once.
"I'll keep that in mind."
It wasn't an apology.
But it was close enough.
Across the room, Sophie leaned toward Adrian.
"Are they… having a normal conversation?"
Adrian watched carefully.
"Define normal."
"No arguing. No cold silence."
Adrian's lips curved slightly.
"That's progress."
Sophie crossed her arms.
"I don't trust it."
"You don't trust anything."
"I trust Alicia."
"That's different."
Later that afternoon
Michael stood in his study, going through documents.
Daniel stood across from him.
"You've been distracted," Daniel said calmly.
"I haven't."
"You have."
Michael didn't respond immediately.
Then
"Say what you came to say."
Daniel nodded slightly.
"There's been increased attention on your recent activities."
Michael's gaze sharpened.
"From who?"
"Unclear."
A pause.
Then Michael said quietly
"Find out."
Outside the gates
The man closed his phone.
A faint smile forming again.
Inside the house
Alicia stepped into the hallway that evening.
The house was quiet again.
Familiar.
She paused.
Two doors.
Two spaces.
For a moment…
She looked toward his door.
Then
She turned away.
But slower this time.
Inside his room, Michael stood still.
Not moving.
Not working.
Thinking.
And somewhere beyond the gates
Someone else was doing the same thing.
But for very different reasons.