That morning, Thalia stood in front of the mirror in her apartment. She wore a white satin blouse with a neat V-cut, a knee-length black pencil skirt, and slim heels. Her hair was left down with a slight wave at the ends. Light makeup, just enough to highlight her sly smile.

“Today’s a good start,” she murmured, holding her lipstick. “A chance to get closer to Mr. Nathan. After all, Mrs. Elena is… well, not young anymore. She already has many children. He must be bored and prefer a young woman like me.”

She looked at her reflection once more, satisfied with the result.

At five minutes to eight, Thalia...