The whirlwind of questions about Ruby continued to swirl in Lysandra's mind, but the overwhelming joy of having Fernando back, his vibrant physical presence filling the mansion that often felt too large and silent, prompted her to seek the familiarity of normal conversation, a bridge over the chasm of years apart.
While Agnes busied herself with packing and room arrangements, Fernando led Lysandra and Ruby into the great hall, a room with tall windows overlooking the rear gardens, flooded with Cancún's midday light. The furniture, though formal, had an air of worn comfort, with brocade sofas and leather armchairs that had borne witness to generations of Thornes.
"Make yourself comfortable, Fernando," Lysandra said, indicating one of the sofas. "A very tiring trip?" He sat in an armchair opposite him, while Ruby gracefully chose an armchair slightly out of reach, near a large window, from where she could observe both the siblings and the garden.
"Long, more than heavy," Fernando replied, sinking into the sofa with a contented sigh. "But the excitement of being here, and the projects to come, make any flying piece of metal worth it." His hazel eyes shone with an energy that Lysandra instantly recognized: the spark of ambition and passion for his endeavors.
"That's precisely what I wanted to ask you about," Lysandra said, leaning forward slightly, genuinely interested. "Your emails are always so terse and full of technical jargon. Tell me honestly, how are those giant projects in China going? And what's with those new construction companies you mentioned?"
Fernando's face lit up as if he'd been wound up. He sat up, his gestures becoming broad and enthusiastic. "Ah, China! Wonderful madness, Lys. We finished that vertical city complex in Shenzhen. Remember I sent you the concept drawings? It was spectacular! Towers that seem to defy gravity, gardens suspended in the air, completely self-sustaining energy systems... a utopia come true. And that opened the doors for our new company, 'Terra Nova Constructores.'"
He spoke with a fascination that was contagious, his hands drawing the imposing structures in the air, his eyes shining with the vision of a future he was helping to build. "But the most exciting thing, silly, is what's coming next. We're ready to bring that same vision, that same scale, to Latin America. We're already in very advanced talks for a massive development in Colombia, an ecological and technological corridor that will connect two cities. And for Mexico... get ready! We're planning immense projects, infrastructure that will change the face of certain regions, resorts that will be models of sustainability and luxury integrated with nature. There's a huge investment behind it, and an incredible opportunity to... dream big and build those dreams."
His passion for construction, for creating something monumental and lasting from nothing, made him seem like a dreamer with his feet firmly planted on the ground, or perhaps, with the ability to elevate the earth to his dreams. Lysandra listened to him, fascinated not so much by the technical details, but by the pure energy emanating from him, by that unwavering faith in his own visions.
From her corner by the window, Ruby watched Fernando with a serene, almost imperceptibly amused expression. A faint smile played on her full lips as he spoke with such fervor, and her green eyes followed him with an attention not that of a stranger, but that of someone who had witnessed that enthusiasm countless times. There was a familiarity in her stillness, a tacit acceptance of that overflowing passion, as if she were perfectly accustomed to seeing him in that state of creative ecstasy.
Lysandra noticed that look, that subtle connection. "Maybe she's his assistant," she thought fleetingly. It was a logical explanation. A high-level personal assistant, someone who accompanied him on business trips, who knew his projects like the back of her hand, who was accustomed to his personality. Only someone like that could know him so well, anticipate his pauses, understand the magnitude of his ambitions without flinching. Yes, an assistant. An incredibly attractive assistant with an air of mystery, but an assistant nonetheless.
The thought gave her a momentary sense of order, a label with which to calm her curiosity. But then she saw how Fernando, in the middle of a sentence about earthquake-resistant foundations and cutting-edge materials, instinctively sought Ruby's gaze across the room, as if he needed her silent approval or to share that spark of inspiration with her. And Ruby returned an almost imperceptible smile, a gesture of understanding.
A relationship that transcended any professional relationship Lysandra had ever known.
No, it couldn't be that simple.
The doubt returned, more persistent. The way they had communicated wordlessly in the foyer, Ruby's interruption upon being introduced, the way they now shared that space, he at the center of the conversation and she a silent but integral observer... there was something deeper, more complex beneath the surface.
Fernando continued talking, his voice filling the room with the promise of future cities and feats of engineering. But Lysandra, though she nodded and asked the right questions, was now divided in her attention. One part listened to the returned brother, the dreamer, the world-builder. The other watched the enigmatic Ruby, trying to decipher the map of their true relationship, a map she sensed contained territories as unknown and fascinating as those her brother planned to conquer. The morning had barely begun, and the mysteries at Thorne Manor continued to multiply.