I stood frozen in place, the words slicing through me like a chill wind. Every syllable felt like a betrayal.
When he ended the call, Daniel slid his phone back into his pocket and turned toward me, his face carefully composed. "Sorry, sweetheart," he said with an almost casual air. "That was just a business partner. He doesn’t speak English, so I had to handle it in Italian."
"Of course," I replied, my voice flat, betraying none of the turmoil I felt inside.
Daniel didn’t seem to notice the detachment in my tone. He crossed the room to me, his hands finding their way to my shoulders in what he probably thought was a comforting gesture. "Look," he began, his voice lowering, "I know things are crazy right now. And I’m going to be swamped with work for the next few months. I don’t want you stuck here alone while I’m dealing with all this."
I raised an eyebrow, trying to mask my suspicion. "What are you getting at?"
He hesitated, as though weighing his words. "I think you should go to Costa Rica. Just for a little while. Take a break. Rest. You deserve it."
"Costa Rica?" I repeated, the surprise evident in my voice.