"He will be flogged brutally." Luca answered.
Valentina sucked in a sharp breath, her face draining of colour as her eyes snapped immediately toward Veronica. Veronica was already moving.
She stood up quickly from the sofa and crossed the small distance between them, placing both hands firmly on Valentina's shoulders to steady her. "Hey," she murmured urgently. "Breathe. Stay with me."
The image Luca had just painted refused to leave Val's mind.
"But…" Luca continued. "Marco doesn't want you there. He is accepting his punishment with grace, but I will have to send you away for a couple of days to explain your absence."
Valentina frowned faintly through her shock, struggling to follow. "Send me away?"
"Yes," Luca said simply. "Ricardo, you are free to join her if you want to."
"No," Ricardo said immediately. "I'll stay,"
Valentina glanced at him briefly, but said nothing. The tension between them remained unspoken, but very much present.
