Chapter 183

• Emilia’s POV
• Alonso sat across from me in the small study, a room filled with old, leather-bound books and the lingering scent of cigars. The air was tense, but there was something different about his demeanor tonight—less authoritative, more… human. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, hands clasped as if searching for the right words.
• “I owe you an explanation,” he began, his voice uncharacteristically soft.