Chapter 70


Nina’s POV

The air felt different today—lighter, freer, as if even the universe had decided to give me a break from its relentless trials. Today marked a special occasion: Mrs. Santiago's birthday. Mark's grandmother. A powerful matriarch who commanded respect with a single glance. Despite all the chaos that had consumed our lives in the past two weeks, everything finally seemed to be settling into place. Alexa was rotting in jail where she belonged, and Mark had been tirelessly ensuring justice was served.

Still, something weighed heavy on my chest, a lingering unease I couldn’t shake. Perhaps it was because Mark and I hadn’t truly connected since the incident. We hadn’t talked about “us,”let alone shared a single intimate moment since moving into the hotel. Mark had buried himself in business matters while I found solace in solitude. Was it intentional, or were we both just avoiding reality?

Today, though, was about celebration, not doubts. Mark