Chapter 34

Renata alighted from the cab, and she tapped the screen of her phone to check if she was at the right address. Her heart pounded as she stood outside the small, run-down apartment building Eduardo had sent her to. The neighborhood was quiet, the location was in the suburbs of the city, and she wondered how Eduardo managed to find a place like that. She climbed the narrow stairs, everywhere was covered with dust and cobwebs which made her sneeze. She knocked on apartment number 7. When the door opened, and she saw him, her chest loosened for the first time in days. “Eduardo!” she breathed out, rushing into his arms before she could stop herself. She hugged him tightly, her fingers digging into his shirt as if afraid he would vanish again. He wrapped his arms around her, steady and warm. “Renata,” he whispered, his voice low and rough, “I’m sorry.” She pulled back, her eyes already stinging. “Do you have any idea how worried I was? You just disappeared. No calls, no messages. I thought…