CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR – DRAMA WITH THE EX LOVER

Miguel pulled her into a hug, holding her close. "I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry I didn't handle it better out there. I should have shut Catalina down immediately." Karina leaned into his embrace, letting out a shaky breath. "What are we going to do? Everyone out there probably thinks..." "Let them think what they want," Miguel said firmly. "We know the truth. That's what matters." A knock on the door interrupted their moment. Alex's voice came through, sounding concerned. "Karina? Miguel? Is everything okay in there?" Karina pulled away from Miguel, wiping her eyes. "We should probably go back out there," she said quietly. Miguel nodded, taking her hand. "Together?" Karina managed a small smile. "Together." They opened the door to find Alex waiting, his expression a mixture of worry and relief. "You guys alright?" "We're working on it," Karina replied, squeezing Miguel's hand. As they made their way back to the living room, they could hear hushed conversations coming to abrupt