She rinsed her mouth quietly. The cool, clean taste grounded her a little.
Only then did Mateo speak again.
"Chief has left," he said, voice unchanged, yet the words shifted the air in the room at once. "A one-week business trip."
Daniella's hands stilled mid-motion.
Gone.
For a week.
A strange flicker moved through her chest, something she couldn't quite name. Relief, perhaps. Or something emptier.
Before she could dwell on it, Mateo continued.
"He said you are to remain in this bed for the entire week," he added, gaze steady and leaving no room for negotiation. "No exceptions."
Her eyes rose to meet his.
"And if you don't listen…" he went on calmly, "it won't be him you should worry about."
A small pause.
Then....
"It will be your baby."
The words landed heavier than any open threat.
Daniella's fingers tightened around the towel.
"And," Mateo added, almost as an afterthought, "that two billion pesos… will be yours to repay."
Silence settled between them.
Not loud.
