CHAPTER 100

LUCAS'S POV

Night had settled fully over the Tuscan valley, wrapping the rolling hills in a blanket of deep, velvet blue. The grand anniversary celebration at the villa had ended hours ago, the last of the international guests had left down the cypress-lined drive, and the estate had gone quiet into a calm, timeless peace.

The cool night breeze carried the soft smell of night-blooming jasmine, crushed olives, and wet stone through the open terrace doors. High above the valley, millions of sharp, bright stars burned against the dark stretch of the Italian sky.

Upstairs in the private wing of the villa, the house was completely still. In...