~LAUREN’S POV~

The first rays of morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, golden and warm, but my thoughts were far from serene.

I stared at the ceiling, trying to shake off the leftovers of last night—the dinner, the drama, and Alexandro’s maddening smirk.

His touch, his words, even the way he had looked at me—it was too much. I sat up, groaning into my hands. This trip was supposed to be my escape, a chance to recover from heartbreak and find some clearness.

Instead, it had turned into a stage for mind games and jealousy-fueled power plays.

I swung my legs off the bed and grabbed my notebook from...