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I got up and went to the bathroom.

When I got back, Mia was no longer at the table. I frowned as I got closer, noticing the dishes had all vanished as well. I followed the sudden splash of water and clinking dishes into the kitchen, where Mia stood in front of the sink, humming softly to herself as she washed the dishes.

It would have been endearing, except…

“What the hell are you doing?”

She jumped a little and turned, lifting doe-eyes to me. “I’m washing up?” she said uncertainly.

“What the hell for?”

Her brows pulled down in confusion.

“So that they’re clean…?”

“Leave them here, Mia,” I said, almost aghast. “I’ve already asked Michael to take care of it.”

“Who’s Michael?”

I laughed, walking toward her and shutting the water off.

“He’s the one who runs the cleaning company,” I explained, plucking the soapy dishes out of her hands and setting them inside the sink. “They’re the ones who keep this place as immaculate as it is.”

Understanding bloomed on her face.

“Oh, I had no idea,” she murmured. “But I guess I had wondered how it all stayed so clean.”

I chuckled under my breath as she bade me goodnight, her cheeks flushed darkly.

The next morning, Mia scrolled through our schedules while we were stuck in morning traffic.

I checked my emails, making sure nothing was on fire before opening the report I’d been poring over all night. Examining the numbers changed nothing about my decision, and I figured it was time to get the ball rolling.

“Mia,” I said quietly. She hummed in response, clearly absorbed in her own work. “What would you think about DawnStar Studios expanding globally?”

She lifted her head at that, frowning in thought. “It’s been a long-term goal of yours for a few years,” she recalled. “If we have the means, I think it would be a smart move. Do you have a specific region in mind?”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, checking the demographics split one more time before answering.

“Brazil.”

“Bra- why Brazil?”

I smiled at the genuine shock in her voice.

“It’s quickly becoming a global giant in media and communications, and I think if we got a foot in the door before anyone else,” I paused and shrugged, “we could see some incredible results.”

“I’m assuming you’ve already looked at every molecule of data on this,” Mia said, and it wasn’t a question. “I haven’t been back in a few years so I can’t say for sure as someone in the general public. But it would be interesting to see how DawnStar is received by the media industry there.”

“We can talk about it later if you want,” I offered. “You can look at the reports I requested and compare the data yourself.”

“I trust you,” Mia said quietly.

I eyed her closely. “But…?”

She grinned sheepishly before she answered. “But I would like to look at the reports.”

I snorted and shook my head, handing my laptop over to her so she could look through the data.