Chapter 26

• Rafael was sitting at the desk in his Berlin office, looking out the window at the frozen ground sparkling in the winter sun. A little boy and his mom were standing on a faraway sidewalk wearing woolen hats. Each time ice crackled underfoot, the little boy's face lit up, and he kissed his mom's hand in delight.
• A gentle knock on the door brought Rafael's attention back to his computer screen. He checked his watch and resumed typing. His personal assistant, Khloe, set his coffee on the desk and took some files with her to the conference room where Rafael was headed to in a few minutes.
• 'Dry and bitter, just like you.' Ruhi's words rang in his mind when he took the first sip of his morning coffee.