Valeria's POV

The silence inside Dante's office felt different. It was not the usual silence that came with the room. Normally, this place carried his presence even when he was not inside — the heavy wooden desk, the carefully arranged documents, the expensive furniture, the faint scent that remained after he left. Everything in this room reminded me of him. His control. His discipline. His need to always be ten steps ahead of everyone.

But now, sitting behind his desk, I ...