The living room felt colder than it should have, even with the city lights glittering like distant stars through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Maxim Moretti sat on the edge of the leather sofa, no longer the warm, teasing father who always has a warm look on his face. His shoulders were slumped, his usually steady hands trembling in his lap. The cheerful sparkle in his eyes had vanished, replaced by something raw and broken that made my chest tighten.Dante spoke before we even reached him, his voice tight with urgency. “What’s the emergency, Dad?”Maxim’s lips parted, but no words came out. They just shook. He tried again, then closed his mouth, eyes glistening with unshed tears. I couldn’t stand it. I walked over quickly and sat beside him, taking both his cold hands in mine.“Is everything okay?” I asked gently, squeezing his fingers, trying to anchor him with touch.He shook his head, then stood abruptly and began pacing the length of the room, his footsteps sharp against the marb
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