The night outside the villa was thick with silence, but inside, the echoes of old secrets stirred like restless ghosts. Elena sat by the window of her chamber, her fingers tracing the delicate embroidery on her dress. The weight of leadership pressed on her, but what gnawed at her most was the unresolved past — the tangled web of family, betrayal, and lies that threatened to unravel everything.

A soft knock pulled her from her thoughts. Enzo stepped inside, his eyes dark with concern.

“You’ve been quiet all evening,” he observed, moving to stand beside her.

Elena sighed, her gaze never leaving the moonlit garden. “There’s something I haven’t told...