Morning unfurled softly over the Ashford estate, the light tender as silk.In the east garden, dew jeweled every blade of grass, and from the open veranda, the scent of tea and roses drifted through the air.Bianca sat at the long marble table, a simple linen robe draped around her shoulders. Across from her, Luna read the day’s reports on a tablet: economic treaties, diplomatic renewals, the dry bones of a world reborn. “You’re too young to sound like a minister,” Bianca said, smiling faintly. “Someone has to be, Mother,” Luna replied, not looking up. “You won’t sit in those meetings forever.” “I’ve sat in worse rooms than those.” “But none with air-conditioning,” Luna teased, a rare glint of humor in her eyes.Bianca laughed, the sound soft but startling in its warmth. Peace had softened her, not weakened her. She could feel the elasticity of life returning, the muscles of old fears finally unclenching.From the terrace doors, Matteo stepped out in shirtsleeves, hair tousled, th
Last Updated : 2025-10-30 Read more