a woke to the distant call of birds and the soft lap of water against stone. For a few seconds, she fo

ent now, occupied, alert. As if it knew

ding at the long wooden table in the kitchen, laptop open, papers spre

s ready,

it is," s

the sharpness she'd noticed before was more pronounced. Everything about him sugge

't sleep,

res

not th

s en

, she gestured to the pap

any names through international registries. They link back to

he

rrow

mach tightened

es

f it's a consolidation transfer, they'll be routing through a clean i

d her. "You'r

o," she said. "Pa

em. Lucia entered the kitchen,

y now," Lucia said. "Internal audits,

eplied. "Nervous m

d smile. "You sound

ut she didn't look away. "She

umbers, tracing inconsistencies, annotating patterns. Matteo listened, asked sharp questions

icture was cle

ering," Lucia said qui

funds campaigns. In retu

ce," Isabe

word echoed

the gate broke t

antly, hand going to his we

," he said, frow

er anything,"

did I," L

closed as he spoke to the courier through the interco

return addre

ers cold. Inside was a

have stayed

igna

e softly.

aid. "And now t

d the paper ca

hem looke

continued, "it means they d

arpened. "Or the

earn something,

him move through the property with practiced efficiency, checking sight

ous, she handed him water. Their fingers

you," h

the w

ing me," h

yes. "I don't

kno

like thin glass. Isabella broke it fi

"Because your mother died thinking

u think

id. "I'm just here to ma

tled heavily

villa. Lucia received a call and stepped outside

transfer," she said. "To

reath. "That gives us les

htened. "Then w

a-" Luci

upted. "I won't run a

tched her

ts you directly in

t my whole life," she repli

. Then Matteo no

lla drafted a preliminary report, careful to encrypt and duplicate it. Mat

ed herself, leaving Isabel

elt smaller

balcony, needing air. Matt

be brave all the ti

ound herself. "If I st

he said. "Jus

him. The lines of strain, the restraint

ays like this

used to believe I

d n

otect people while they

that. "That s

t

or his hand. He stiffened,

od there, connected by

," she admi

ied. "That's how I

reflected the moon, f

bers, conversations, Matteo's steady presence. Somewhere between fear a

us

briefly on the road beyond

ecure his empire, unaware that the quiet woman he had dis