"Virginia, what do you think of this one? Right on the Thames. You can see the London Eye from the balcony."
He watched me, gauging my reaction.
I gave a soft "Mm."
"The ones back home are probably just as nice."
He froze. A flicker of confusion crossed his face.
"Virginia, you don't like Valkenheim?"
"I do."
His expression relaxed.
"A few days there for a vacation would be lovely."
He went still again.
He was about to say something when his phone rang.
A video call from Vivian.
"Robert, my foot hurts so bad, I can't move…"
She was crying in that delicate, helpless way of hers, tears glistening like rain on white petals.
"What happened?"
Robert shot to his feet, his voice tight with alarm.
"I missed a step going downstairs and fell down the whole staircase…"
"I'm all alone. I'm so scared. There's no one to take me to the hospital…"
Vivian's tears fell harder.
"Don't move. Whatever you do, don't move. I'm booking a flight right now."
Robert was frantic. He turned to look at me.
"Virginia, Vivian hurt her foot. I need to go check on her."
His eyes were anxious, but there was something tentative beneath it. A nervous edge.
He was gambling.
Gambling on whether I'd make a scene.