Silence.
Pindrop silence.
Before Adriana burst into laughter.
Theodore, undeterred by the startled silence his previous comment had caused, simply shrugged, his mouth curving into a mischievous grin.
"Or better yet," he continued, deadpan,
"I'll print his face on flyers and post them around the city. 'Beware: Gold-Digging Gremlin on the Loose.' Might even start a charity to help other victims like Ana here."
Olivia snorted, unable to hold back a chuckle, and even Lucas's lips twitched at the corner despite the stormy look in his eyes.
Adriana laughed harder this time, a genuine, belly-deep laugh that seemed to chase some of the shadows from her heart.
Theodore winked at her, clearly satisfied with himself for lightening the mood.
After a few more teasing remarks from Theodore — involving plans for t-shirts, a fake arrest warrant, and even a puppet reenactment of "Henry the Heartbreaker" — the atmosphere in the room finally felt less suffocating.
