Diego’s eyes flickered with doubt, but his grip didn’t loosen. “If I find out that you’ve been lying to me…” His voice trailed off, the unspoken threat hanging in the air like a guillotine poised to drop. “You won’t like the consequences.”
Esmeralda forced a small, bitter smile, her defiance simmering just beneath the surface. “You already made that clear,” she said quietly. “But if you want me to be the wife you think you deserve, then you have to do better than this.”
Diego’s lips twisted into a smirk, his eyes narrowing as if to appraise her boldness. “We’ll see about that,” he said, his voice laced with a mix of condescension and amusement. He took a step back, his gaze raking over her as if considering his next move. “Go inside. You’re not free from me yet.” His tone dropped, takin
