Catalina's chin lifted a little. Behind her gentle, calm eyes, something flared inside stubbornly.
I already told you before, she thought, holding his gaze without flinching. Watch me.
But that was a thought she kept behind her teeth. In their years of marriage, she already knew when to push and when to wait.
Geron was already wound tight enough that any resistance now would only make him dig his heels in further.
So Catalina did what she did best. She pretended to have softened up.
"Of course," she said, and nodded compliantly. "But be careful."
Geron stared at her face suspiciously, but Catalina just smiled back at him.
After a while, a long breath left Geron through his nose.
"I'm going," he said as he turned around and walked toward the front entrance.
He didn't slow down, didn't waver, and didn't look back.
The door opened, and he went out, letting the door automatically close behind him.
