(VINCENZO'S POV) The sound of Mother's car pulling up the driveway made my heart leap. I raced down the marble stairs, nearly slipping on the polished surface in my excitement."Mamma!" I called out as she stepped through the front door, her arms laden with shopping bags.She dropped everything to sweep me into her embrace, her familiar perfume wrapping around me like a security blanket. "My sweet boy," she whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of my head before pulling back to hand me a piece of candy, my favorite chocolate from the little shop downtown."Where's Niccolò?" she asked, glancing around the foyer.I shrugged, unwrapping the candy. "Upstairs, I think."We settled in the living room where she showed me what she'd bought, new books, art supplies, a wooden toy soldier that made me grin. I was examining the intricate details on the soldier's uniform when Niccolò walked past the doorway, his shoulders slumped, his usual swagger nowhere to be seen."Niccolò!" Mother called ou
Last Updated : 2025-06-18 Read more