Valeria’s lips parted, but no words came out. The lump in her throat grew tighter as she stared at him, her mind racing. She wanted to deny it, to tell him he was wrong, but the truth hung heavy between them, undeniable and suffocating.

Markus sighed, leaning back in his chair again. “Look, I’m not blaming you,” he said, his tone softening slightly. “I didn’t exactly marry you out of love either. This was my mother’s doing, her grand plan to secure some ideal version of a family ...