The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden light across the expansive Marino estate. Isabella sat on the back terrace, a cigarette between her fingers, the smoke curling lazily upward in the still evening air. It had been a month since the last time she’d seen Dominic, a month since their fight in the study. The tension that had hung between them had finally snapped, sending them in opposite directions. In that time, she had buried herself in her duties— finalizing deals, forging treaties, and securing the Marino family's position. The work was exhausting but necessary, a distraction from the chaos that had become her life.
Today, however, was different. Today, there was nothing to do, no fires to put out, no enemies to strategize against. It was just a quiet day of peace, a rare moment
