Marina shook her head, tears welling in her eyes, though her tone carried a calculated softness. “It’s nothing. She didn’t mean to hurt me. Don’t be too harsh,” she murmured, feigning vulnerability.
Her gaze flicked toward me, then softened further. “If your fiancé sees this, it could complicate things. It might even jeopardize your relationship.”
The mention of my brother—the man who had arranged my marriage—made Caleb’s jaw tighten, but his resolve was quick to return.
“She’s under my care now,” he said firmly. “If she’s wrong, I have to correct it.”
A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “Wrong? Caleb, what exactly did I do wrong? In business or in life, evidence comes before judgment. And here you are, passing sentence on me without a shred of proof. Is this your idea of leadership?”
His jaw clenched, fists tightening. “There were no cameras in the hallway, Valencia. You knew it—and thought you could get away with it.”
I froze, stunned by his unyielding conviction. “No cameras?” I scoffed. “Then how can you possibly be certain it was me?”
“Why would Marina lie?” he snapped, his eyes flashing. “She isn’t that kind of person.”