Chapter160: Bittersweet

Arthur sat on the edge of his hotel room bed, his thoughts swirling in his mind like a whirlwind. The lights were off; only the city's illumination filtered through the partially closed curtains. He felt exhausted, emotionally drained. Mayara's words, Anna's games, Santiago's pressure... everything seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders. Suddenly, he heard persistent knocks on the door. He didn't need to look through the peephole to know who it was. -Arthur?- Anna's voice on the other side sounded sweet, but he knew well the manipulative tone that lurked beneath. -I know you're there... let me in. We need to talk. He closed his eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh. He didn't want to deal with her. Not now. He just wanted to be alone, to sort through his thoughts and decide what to do next. The knocks continued, a bit louder this time, but he remained silent, ignoring her. -Arthur, please... I just want to help- she insisted, her patience clearly wearing thin. He knew that opening the