Chapter 171.

By seven in the evening, the sky over Brazil had begun to soften.

The last of the sunlight lingered beyond the enormous windows of Christian’s penthouse, turning the city below into a sea of gold, glass, and distant headlights.

The penthouse was quiet.

Emilia sat at the dining table with one leg tucked beneath her. Her phone propped against a glass of water while she talked to Kylie through a video call.

She had changed after returning from the beach.

Her yellow dress was gone.

She was now wearing a loose white shirt and comfortable shorts, her hair gathered loosely over one shoulder. The compass bracelet still rested around her wrist.

She had barely stopped talking to Kylie since they returned.

"And then," Emilia said, lifting both hands as she spoke, "this little boy literally started cheering for me."

On the screen, Kylie laughed. "You?"

"Yes, me."

"I had fun."

That softened Kylie immediately. "I can tell."

Emilia smiled. She leaned closer to the phone. "You should have seen it, Ky."

"I wish I could."

There was something quieter in Kylie’s voice.

Emilia noticed it, but she didn’t press.

Instead, she continued.

"There was this older woman on the beach. She was probably in her seventies, and she had been married for forty-three years."

Kylie smiled. She blinked. "Forty-three?"

"Yes."

"That is actually insane."

"I know!"

Emilia’s eyes brightened. "She took pictures of Adrian and me."

Kylie’s expression changed slightly. She smiled wider. "Pictures?"

"Lots."

Emilia reached for her phone. "She was so sweet. She kept telling us to stand closer."

Kylie laughed. "Did Adrian cooperate?"

Emilia gave her an incredulous look. "He did."

"Voluntarily?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure someone didn’t replace him?"

Emilia laughed. "I thought the same thing." She turned her phone slightly, searching through the pictures. "He even smiled."

Emilia found one of the photographs. "Look." She held it toward the camera.

Kylie leaned closer to the screen.

"Right?"

"You two look really happy."

"We were."

Emilia’s smile softened. She looked down at the photograph for a moment before continuing.

"She told us we looked in love."

Kylie let out a sofr exhale. "You do."

Emilia’s cheeks warmed. "She said Adrian was looking at me like I was his whole morning."

Kylie placed a hand dramatically over her chest. "That is disgustingly romantic."

Emilia laughed. "I know."

"What did Adrian say?"

Emilia’s smile grew. "He said, ’I am.’"

Kylie stared at her. She shook her head. "That man is gone."

Emilia laughed again. She placed the phone back against the glass. Then she began telling Kylie about the race.

Emilia pointed at herself. "I won."

"You cheated." Kylie judged based on everything Emilia just told her.

"I did not." She leaned back in her chair. "You should have seen his face when I splashed him."

Kylie smiled gently. "That actually sounds nice."

"It was."

Emilia’s voice softened. For a moment, she looked past the phone toward the windows. The memory returned easily.

The ocean, the sun, the wind, Adrian’s hand in hers, and the sound of people laughing around them.

She smiled to herself. "I don’t think I’ve ever felt that free."

Kylie watched her. "You deserve that."

Emilia looked back at the screen. "I wish you were there. I really do."

Kylie’s smile faltered slightly.

"You would have loved it." Emilia added.

"I’m sure I would."

"We could have taken a million pictures."

Kylie smiled again. "Probably."

"And I would have forced you into the water."

"You absolutely would not."

"I absolutely would."

"You know I don’t swim that well."

"I would hold you."

"That sounds like something that would get us both killed."

Emilia laughed. Then she pointed toward the camera thoughtfully. "You know what?"

"What?"

"You would have liked the race track too."

Kylie’s eyes lit up brighter than it was. "Race track?"

"Yeah." Emilia’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Adrian said Christian found one."

Kylie blinked. Her excitement died down. "Oh."

The reaction was small. Too small for most people to notice, but Emilia noticed.

She had spent too much time with Kylie. "What is going on?"

"Nothing."

"You made a face."

"I didn’t."

"You did."

Kylie looked away from the camera. "I just didn’t know there would be a race track."

Emilia studied her. Then she shrugged. She decided to wait until she was becak home before she interogate her. "Apparently there is."

Kylie nodded. Her expression was perfectly neutral.

The doors behind Emilia opened. She didn’t notice.

Christian walked into the dining room.

He wore dark trousers and a loose black shirt, the sleeves pushed casually to his forearms. His hair was slightly messy.

His phone was in his hand. He was reading something on the screen. He didn’t look up immediately.

He walked several steps into the room. Then he heard Emilia laugh.

He lifted his head. "Emilia, did you—"

He stopped.

His eyes moved toward the phone, and found Kylie. Everything in him went still. It lasted less than a second.

His face changed. Visible recognition flashed through his eyes. His gaze remained on the screen.

Kylie saw him too.

She froze, and the smile completely disappeared from her face.

The distance between Brazil and wherever Kylie was sitting suddenly felt beyomd worlds. And somehow completely irrelevant.

Christian’s grip tightened around his phone.

Kylie swallowed.

Emilia looked from the screen to Christian. Then back to the screen. Her brows drew together.

"Christian?"

He blinked. His gaze finally shifted to Emilia. "Sorry." His voice came out quieter than usual.

"What were you saying?"

Emilia stared at him. "I was telling Kylie about the beach."

Christian nodded. "Right."

His eyes moved back to the phone, and back to Kylie. This time, he didn’t immediately look away.

Kylie’s expression had become unreadable.

Christian’s was worse. Emilia could see too much in it. He looked like someone who had unexpectedly walked into a room and found something he hadn’t allowed himself to play games with.

Something that hurt simply because it was there.

Kylie broke eye contact first. She looked down.

Christian’s jaw shifted.

Emilia watched both of them. Her suspicion sharpened. "Do you want to say hi?"

Christian’s eyes returned to her. He paused, and then he walked closer.

"Hi."

Kylie looked up. "Hi." she greated back awkwardly.

Emilia’s eyes moved between them.

Christian pulled out the chair beside the table. He didn’t sit. He rested one hand on the back of it.

Kylie looked at him through the screen.

Christian looked at her. The scene wore the same strange silence.

Emilia’s eyes narrowed. She slolwyleaned back. "You two are being weird."

Christian finally smiled. It was a small attempt at normalcy. "You’ve been talking too long."

Kylie looked down.

Emilia caught it.

The tiny movement. The way Kylie’s fingers disappeared briefly from the bottom of the camera frame.

Christian noticed too. His eyes followed the movement, and his expression softened.

Emilia saw it. Her suspicion became certainty that something was happening. She just didn’t know what.

Christian cleared his throat. "I’m going upstairs."

Emilia looked at him.

"I forgot something." he added, without her asking.

"What?"

He looked at her. "Something upstairs."

Emilia stared at him.

His eyes flickered toward Kylie again. Only for a moment.

Kylie was already looking at him. Their eyes met again. And this time, Emilia caught it completely.

There was history there. Not the kind of history that came from meeting someone once.

Not friendship, and definately not casual familiarity.

Something else. It seemed unresolved. Christian stared at Kylie as if he had forgotten Emilia was sitting in front of him.

Emilia slowly turned toward Kylie.

Christian finally stepped back. "I’ll leave you two."

"Okay."

He started walking.

Emilia called after him. "Christian?"

He stopped, and turned. "Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

He paused, and then nodded. "I’m fine."

Emilia studied him. His face was composed again, and his voice was normal. But his eyes weren’t.

"Okay."

He nodded once and left.

The moment he disappeared from view, Emilia turned back to the phone.

Kylie was already looking at her.

Emilia’s eyes narrowed with suspision. "Who was that?"

Kylie blinked. "Christian."

"I know his name."

Kylie said nothing.

Emilia leaned closer. "You know him."

"No."

"You’ve met him."

Kylie denied immediately. "I haven’t." Her eyes finally fully returned to the screen.

Emilia studied her best friend’s face.

She knew Kylie. She knew every tiny shift. Every forced smile, every time she changed the subject, and every time she said she was fine when she wasn’t.

And right now, Kylie looked like she was trying desperately to keep a door closed.

Emilia tilted her head. "Why did you cough when I told you Christian was coming to Brazil?"

Kylie went silent. Her lips parted, then closed again.

Emilia waited.

"I didn’t cough."

"You absolutely did."

"I had something in my throat. I was choking."

"On what?"

Kylie stared at her.

Emilia stared back. "Air?"

Kylie sighed. "Emilia."

"I’m listening."

"I don’t know what you want me to say."

"The truth."

Kylie looked down.

For a few seconds, she said nothing.

Emilia’s expression softened.

"Did something happen between you and Christian?"

Kylie’s eyes closed briefly. "No."

Emilia didn’t believe her. Not for a second. But she didn’t push immediately.

Instead, she asked quietly, "Did you know him before Brazil?"

Kylie opened her eyes. "Yes."

The answer was so quiet Emilia almost missed it.

Emilia sat back. "How?"

Kylie rubbed her forehead. "It wasn’t always like that."

"Like what?"

"I don’t know."

"You just said you knew him."

"I do."

"How?"

Kylie looked at the screen. Her expression had changed. There was embarrassment there now.

Emilia couldn’t name.

"We’ve met."

"When?"

"A while ago."

Emilia stared.

"A while ago?"

Kylie nodded.

"How long is a while?"

Kylie hesitated. "Five months."

Emilia’s mouth fell open.

"Five months?"

Kylie winced. "Yes."

Emilia slowly placed both hands on the table.

"You have known Christian for five months?"

Kylie nodded again.

"And you never told me?"

"I didn’t know what to tell you."

Emilia stared at her. Her eyes softened. "He was the reason you didn’t want to come to Brazil."

Kylie swallowed. "I needed distance."

"From Christian?"

Kylie looked exhausted. "Emilia, I’m sorry I lied about Brazil, but I need to go now." She said in one breath.

Emilia’s expression softened. She knew that voice.

Kylie wasn’t avoiding the question because she wanted to lie. She was avoiding it because she genuinely didn’t know what to call what had happened.

Emilia lowered her voice. "Talk to me, Kylie."

Kylie parted her lips to speak and just then, her doorbell rang. She shut her eyes, and let out a relieved sigh.

She had never been so greatful to open jer door. "I love you, Em. I have to go."

"Khy..."

"Bye." Kylie waved, amd immediately ended the call.

Emilia blinked. She rubbed her forehead, and let out a fustrated sigj.