the suffocating weight of Rafael's last words

ck by

uggestion. It

trol over her now, hated that her enti

he mirrored wall, exhaling slowly. Outside of this bu

htly. The morning sun cast a golden glow over Jakarta's skyline, and the rhythmic chaos of honking cars

ific to go, but she

nd, the one person who would understand. But she

n a business deal, and now I'm married to the guy

ldn't say t

ough the streets, letting her thoug

reedom had

tes into her escape

trailing her at a

ing to check his phone every tim

pid. She knew

atching," Raf

t just meant

eant his

someone to

s fists

iage. This was surveill

composed. If Rafael thought she would be an obedient

nd a group of tourists. In the reflection of the window, she saw the

ven trying

o follow her, she'd

and ignoring the confused glances of the staff. The door led to a narrow

a corner-and cras

before she could stumble back

th

art cl

lmost. The one who had slipped through her fin

as laced with surprise. The

she forgot h

, now-felt like fate sl

ammered, steppin

's gaze swept over her.

re ma

a stif

diamond ring on her finger-the pro

, a flicker of something ra

l me?" His voice was quiet,

ed hard. "It's.

ir. "Yeah? Because from where I'm standing, it looks pretty

sted in

him. She had. But wha

to an arranged marriage with a man I

shoving his hands into

ated. "It doe

htened. "It

lanation. But before she could say anything, a famili

rrupting s

s blood

Rafael standing just a few feet away, his gaze l

lia knew

ehind that blank st