That Saturday night had settled over the mansion like a heavy blanket, quiet and thick, the kind of silence that made every small sound feel louder than it should.

Mateo had disappeared into his study a couple of hours ago with a quick kiss to my forehead and a murmured "I've got some work to finish, baby, won't be long."

I believed him at the time.

Now the clock on my phone read 2:34 a.m. on Sunday, and he still wasn't back. I was alone in his massive bed, sheets tangled around my legs, rolling from one side to the other while I scrolled mindlessly through social media. The glow...