Hugo's eyelashes fluttered, his face tightening with unease. The question had caught him off guard, his usual composure cracking.
Daniel's gaze didn't waver. There was no warmth in his expression now — only a cool, assessing stillness.
He had dealt with men like Hugo before who spoke of family while treating it like a business arrangement, who disguised control as protection. And from the way Hugo shifted under his scrutiny, Daniel knew he was hitting the right nerve.
"I-I only said that to protect her," Hugo stammered, his voice faltering under the weight of Daniel's cold, unblinking stare. "You know Anna… she's never really been out in public, not like Kathrine. Kathrine always knew how to present herself, how to… groom. I'm just—worried for her."
Daniel said nothing, his expression unreadable. The silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable.
Hugo swallowed hard, taking Daniel's stillness as disbelief and rushing to justify himself further.
