CHAPTER EIGHTY TWO –BUSINESS IS BUSINESS

Karina heard footsteps, then the sound of the front door closing. She waited a few moments before emerging from her room, her mind reeling from what she'd overheard. Miguel was in the kitchen, staring into a cup of coffee. He looked up when she entered, his expression guarded. "Good morning," Karina said cautiously. "Was someone here?" Miguel hesitated, then nodded. "My aunt Rosa. She... had some concerns about our situation." Karina's heart raced. "She knows the truth?" "She guessed," Miguel admitted. "She's always been too perceptive for her own good." Karina poured herself a cup of coffee, using the action to gather her thoughts. "What did she say?" Miguel's grip on his mug tightened. "She thinks this arrangement is a mistake. That someone's going to get hurt." Karina took a sip of her coffee, wincing at the bitterness. "And what do you think?" Miguel looked at her, his dark eyes unreadable. "I think... I think we need to be more careful. Last night, at the gala... things g