CHAPTER 17 Empty

　　Camila tapped her fingernail against the smooth surface of her espresso cup, the rhythmic click echoing softly in the dimly lit café. Across from her, a newspaper lay abandoned, its headlines blurred by the steam rising from her coffee. Her gaze was distant, lost in thought, when her phone buzzed insistently against the tabletop.

　　"Camila Martinez," she answered, her voice a steady cadence of control.

　　"Did you hear about Blake?" The voice on the other end spilled out, hurried and eager for gossip.

　　She paused, feeling an unexpected emptiness at the mention of his name. "What about him?"

　　"He's lost everything, Camila. The investments, they tanked. He's practically penniless."

　　A silence stretched between them, filled only by the muted sounds of clinking dishes and low conversations. Once, news like this would have ignited a bonfire of vindication in her heart. But now, it barely fanned an ember.