Chapter 10 - Sunshine and Silence
Five years later.
The Tuscan sun beat down warmly on the stone terrace of our villa, casting long golden shadows across the vineyard. Laughter echoed through the courtyard—the bright, infectious giggle of a five-year-old boy with dark curls and stubborn eyes, chasing a golden retriever across the grass.
“Leo! Slow down before you trip over the rosemary bushes!” Grace called out from the patio, though a warm smile played across her lips.
I walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my chin on her shoulder, breathing in the familiar, comforting scent of lavender and sun-kissed skin.
“Let him run,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her neck. “He has his mother’s energy.”
Grace leaned back against my chest, turning her head to give me a playful look. “And thankfully, your stubbornness.”
“My stubbornness is the reason I found you in that hotel lobby five years ago,” I reminded her, a soft smile touching my lips.
She turned in my arms, wrapping her hands around my neck, her eyes shining with the same deep, unwavering love that had survived betrayal, separation, and war.
“And I’m glad you did, Ethan,” she whispered.
May you like
Down in the valley, the sun dipped below the rolling hills of Tuscany, painting the sky in breathtaking shades of amber and violet. There were no guards at our gates, no shadows lurking in the corners, and no secrets left to unearth. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t a mafia boss standing in the dark.
I was simply a husband, a father, and a man finally at peace.
