Chapter 77
Lily
Lily felt the press of Gabriel's lips against her skin, his breath warm on her shoulder as he kissed her gently, sending shivers down her spine. Her heart pounded erratically, the beat syncing with the pull of his lips, which trailed a path of heat along the curve of her neck.
She could feel his arms around her, holding her close, fingers skimming down her sides as if memorizing every curve of her body. The soft rustle of fabric, the slight coolness of the sheets beneath them, contrasted with the heat between them, and the growing closeness of his touch.
Gabriel's hands moved to her back, his fingers brushing her skin as he carefully, almost reverently, started unbuttoning her blouse. His touch felt tender, yet there was a hunger in itâan urgency that matched the fluttering in her chest.
Lily's breath hitched as she felt her own hands move to his shirt, pulling at the fabric, desperate for the same closeness, for the same intensity. The moment was dizzying, too real, yet not real at all.
Her body felt electrified, as if every part of her was attuned to him, to the way he was holding her, to the way he kissed herâslowly, deeplyâas though there was no world beyond the softness of their shared space. She could feel him move closer, the heat of his body pressing against her, and she lost herself in the rhythm of it.
But before the moment could go further, before she could even process what was happening, her body jolted awake. The warmth, the closeness, the pull of his touchâall of it vanished, leaving her heart pounding in her chest, her skin flushed, and her mind racing with confusion, guilt, and desire.
"Oh my god," Lily whispered in the darkness, tears pooling at the corner of her eyes.
I'm losing my mind.
_____________________
Luca and Daisy
Luca sat leaned back against the headrest of his bed, a book open in his hands, but his gaze was unfocused, the words blurring into one long string of nothingness. His mind wasn't on the pages in front of him; it was miles away, tangled in the web of his conversation with Rose. Her words echoed in his head like a constant refrain: "Why do you hate me so much?"
He rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the guilt that had started to settle heavily in his chest. He didn't hate her. That was the last thing he wanted. But somehow, he had made her feel that way. And that thought was gnawing at him more than anything else. He'd never meant to make her feel like she was disliked in any way.
The silence of the room was thick, and Luca let out a frustrated sigh, closing the book and setting it aside on the nightstand. His eyes drifted to the door, where he heard the soft rustle of fabric. Daisy was moving around the room, preparing for bed, her quiet movements a contrast to the storm brewing inside him.
"Luca?" Her voice was soft, concerned, as she turned toward him. She stood by the dresser, slipping out of her robe and into her nightclothes, but her attention was fixed on him, her expression noticing the tension in his shoulders.
He didn't answer right away, his thoughts still wrapped up in the conversation with Rose. When he finally looked up at her, his face was drawn, his usual mask of control slipping for a moment.
"What's wrong?" Daisy asked again, her voice holding the same gentle concern. She paused, watching him closely, a hint of worry crossing her features.
Luca let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Rose thinks I hate her," he said quietly, the words sounding heavy as they left his mouth.
"I'm surprised she didn't say she hates you," Daisy snorted. "I swear she has more sass then all of our children combined-"
"She thinks I hate her, Daisy," Luca spoke up. "She asked me why I hate her and why she feels as if she's not good enough for this family."
Daisy froze for a moment, her hand resting on the edge of the bed. "What? Why would she think that?" Her voice was full of confusion, but there was also a softness to it, as if she were trying to understand what had happened.
Luca shook his head, leaning back against the headboard, his gaze distant. "I don't know," he murmured. "I spoke to Gia and apparently this isn't the first time she has voice this opinion of her's."
Daisy walked over to the bed, sitting beside him, her hand gently resting on his arm. "You don't hate her, Luca. We all know that. You care about her more than you realize." She spoke softly, her voice soothing, trying to calm the turmoil inside him. "You try to protect her."
"I try to protect Lily," Luca pointed out. "And Gia....but they don't hate me."
"You're protectiveness over Lily is different compared to Rose," Daisy said.
"How so?" Luca frowned.
"When you look at Lily, you see me, don't you?" Daisy smiled. "She's our daughter. But when you look at Rose, you...."
Luca's brow furrowed. "I see Gia," he replied automatically.
"No," Daisy shook her head, her small smile lingering. "You see Stella."
Luca froze, the realization settling over him like a weight he wasn't ready to carry.
"Let's not kid ourselves, Sunshine," Daisy said, her voice warm but knowing as she gently patted his hand. "She looks just like her aunt. And in your heart and mind, you know Rose could have been your and Stella's daughter. The blonde hair, the green eyes?"
Luca was silent for a long time, the weight of her words hitting him hard. It was true. Every time he looked at Rose, the likeness to Stella was undeniable. It was like looking at a living, breathing reminder of his past.
He stared down at his hands, the weight of guilt settling deeper in his chest. "I didn't mean to hurt her," he whispered, his voice cracking just a little. "I didn't want to make her feel like she wasn't enough."
Daisy's expression softened further, understanding flickering in her eyes. "I know you didn't, Luca. But sometimes, without realizing it, we see things through a lens that isn't fair to the people around us. You see Rose and you see Stella, and that affects the way you treat her."
Luca closed his eyes, the depth of the realization overwhelming him. He had been so focused on trying to protect Rose, trying to keep her from the mistakes he feared she might make, that he hadn't stopped to realize that his actions had been rooted in something deeperâsomething that wasn't entirely about Rose at all.
"You have to see Rose for who she is, not just for who she reminds you of," Daisy said sowly. "She's her own person, and she deserves to be seen that way." She paused, watching him carefully. "And maybe, just maybe, you need to let her know thatâreally let her knowâthat you see her as her own person, not as a reflection of Stella."
Luca nodded slowly, his mind racing as he absorbed Daisy's words.
"The poor girl is living under a dead woman's shadow, Luca," Daisy repeated, her voice so quiet, it almost felt like a confession. "And that is an awful way to feel."
Luca felt the sting of guilt pierce through him. The thought of Rose growing up, constantly compared to a woman she would never truly know, it unsettled him in ways he wasn't ready for. He had been so consumed with protecting her, keeping her safe, that he'd failed to recognize how he'd made her feel smaller, less-than, simply because of who she resembled.
"I didn't mean to... make her feel like that," Luca muttered, shaking his head, his hands gripping the edge of the bed as he tried to steady his racing thoughts. "I just... I've been trying to hold it all together for so long."
Daisy reached over, gently cupping his hand in hers. Her touch was steady, warm, grounding him as he felt his emotions spiral.
"I know you have, Luca," she said softly. "But sometimes, trying to protect someone can end up suffocating them instead. And I think... I think that's what you've done with Rose. She doesn't need you to protect her from what you lost, Luca. She needs you to see her for who she is."
Luca swallowed hard, the bitter realization settling like a stone in his stomach. He had been so afraid of seeing Stella everywhere, that he had unknowingly denied Rose the chance to simply be herself. It was as if she had always been cast in the shadow of something she wasn't even a part of.
"You're right," he admitted, his voice thick with regret. "I've been unfair to her... to both of us."
Daisy gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "It's not too late to change that. You have to talk to her. You have to let her know that you see her. Not Stella. Her."
Luca nodded, feeling the weight of the responsibility settle more heavily on his shoulders. He didn't know how long it would take for him to truly see Rose the way she deserved to be seenâbut he was determined to start trying, before the shadow of the past swallowed her whole.
_______________________
Lily
Lily nestled into Jake's side, her head resting against his shoulder as the soft hum of the plane filled the cabin. His arm was wrapped securely around her, his fingers occasionally brushing over her arm in lazy, affectionate strokes. The movie played on his iPad, the screen flickering with bright colors, but Lily wasn't really watching.
She was distracted.
No matter how hard she tried to focus, her mind kept circling back to the dreamâthe warmth of Gabriel's lips against her skin, the way he held her, the way his touch set her body on fire. She could still feel the ghost of his fingers on her back, the slow, deliberate way he had undone the buttons of her blouse. The way her breath had caught as she reached for him in return.
Lily squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block it out, but it was useless. The images replayed over and over, a cruel taunt she couldn't escape. Guilt gnawed at her insides as she curled in closer to Jake.
Jake kissed the top of her head, oblivious to the turmoil swirling inside her. "You tired?" he murmured.
Lily forced a small smile, nodding as she snuggled deeper against him. "Yeah."
But it wasn't exhaustion that weighed on her. It was the unshakable, stomach-twisting guilt of knowing that even as she sat here, wrapped in Jake's arms, her thoughts were somewhere elseâtrapped in a dream she wished had never happened.
Lily closed her eyes and tried to rewrite the dream in her mind. She forced herself to imagine Jake's hands on her instead of Gabriel's, his lips brushing over her shoulders, his body pressed against hers. She told herself it should feel rightâshould feel natural.
But it didn't.
The moment she replaced Gabriel with Jake, something inside her twisted. Her pulse didn't race the same way. The warmth in her chest turned into a tight, uneasy knot. It wasn't the same. And that realization made her stomach churn with guilt.
Why? Why couldn't she just picture Jake?
She shifted slightly in her seat, trying to shake the feeling, but the nerves didn't go away. If anything, they only grew. The idea of being with Jake in that wayânot just in the dream, but in realityâmade her tense. It was a quiet, unsettling fear that she couldn't quite name.
Jake was supposed to be safe. Comfortable. The right choice.
So why did the thought of him touching her that way make her heart pound in panic instead of longing?
Lily barely spoke as the plane descended, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The cabin lights cast a soft glow over everything, but she felt strangely detached, as if she were watching herself from a distance. She barely registered Jake's arm around her or the way he murmured something about how fast the flight had gone. She just nodded, forcing a small smile, but her mind was elsewhere.
When they landed, she moved on autopilotâgrabbing her bag, following Mason and Jake through the airport, stepping outside into the crisp evening air. The quiet between them wasn't unusual, but tonight, it felt heavier. Jake didn't seem to notice, still half-drowsy from the flight, but Mason kept glancing at her, his sharp eyes missing nothing.
The drive back was just as silent. Jake leaned against the window, exhausted, while Lily sat stiffly in the backseat, her thoughts tangled in a mess of emotions she couldn't quite sort out. The streetlights blurred past, but all she could see was the dream.
Gabriel. His hands. His mouth. The way she had wanted him.
Her stomach twisted. She couldn'tâwouldn'tâthink about it.
When they reached Jake's dorm, he turned to her with a sleepy smile. "I'll call you tomorrow?"
Lily managed a small smile as he kissed her lips. "I thought you wanted to do something tonight?"
"Nah," Jake sighed. "I'm pretty tired. Tomorrow?"
Lily nodded.
"Good night, baby," Jake kissed her cheek.
"Good night," Lily said quietly.
She watched him disappear inside, her chest tightening. The moment the door shut behind him, she exhaled slowly, as if she had been holding her breath the entire time.
Mason pulled away from the curb without a word, and Lily leaned back against the seat, staring out the window. The city lights flashed by, but she didn't really see them.
She just wanted to get home.
As Mason drove through the quiet streets, the weight of the silence between them grew heavier. He glanced at Lily, her face illuminated by the glow of passing streetlights, her expression distant.
"You okay?" he asked, breaking the silence.
Lily hesitated, her fingers gripping the hem of her sweater. She didn't look at him when she finally said, "I'm wondering if I should break up with Jake."
Mason's hands tightened around the steering wheel. "What?" His voice wasn't judgmental, just surprised.
Lily let out a shaky breath, staring straight ahead. "I don't know. I just...it's just a thought," She swallowed hard. "I....I don't feel like myself."
"What do you mean?" Mason asked, glancing at her with worry.
"I feel like something's missing," Lily stared at her hands. "I.....I don't feel what I thought I would feel when I was with someone....does that make sense?"
"No."
Lily clicked her tongue, "Never mind."
"No, explain it to me," Mason said. "What don't you feel? The chemistry? The spark?"
"I don't know," Lily shrugged.
Mason was quiet for a moment, processing her words. "You seemed fine with him before," he said carefully.
"I am fine," Lily whispered.
"But then why do you want to break up?"
"I don't know, Mason! It was just a thought!" Lily snapped. She pressed her fingers against her temple, overwhelmed. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Jake is everything I should want, and I do want to want him, butâ" She stopped herself before she said too much. "But the more time I spend with him, the more I realize it's not the way it should be......I'm not making any sense."
Mason exhaled, glancing at her again. "Do you... like someone else?"
Lily stiffened. "No," she said too quickly. "It's not about that. I justâI don't think I'm being fair to him. And I don't know what to do."
Mason didn't push. He could tell she was already unraveling under the weight of her own thoughts. Instead, he just nodded, gripping the wheel a little tighter. "You'll figure it out."
Lily shut her eyes for a moment, trying to steady herself.
She wished she believed him.
__________________________
Luca
Luca leaned against the sleek black car, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the students spill out of the grand entrance of Rose's private high school. The late afternoon sun reflected off the towering glass buildings around him, casting long shadows across the sidewalk. He scanned the crowd until his eyes landed on her.
Rose stood in the center of a group of friends, her presence commanding in a way that was effortless. She laughed, flipping her dirty blonde hair over her shoulder as she gestured animatedly, clearly in the middle of some dramatic retelling. Her confidence was undeniableâshe wasn't shy or timid like her mother or Lily. No, here, in her domain, she was queen.
Luca remained unnoticed as he observed, taking in the way she moved, the way others gravitated toward her. Even the way she tossed an unimpressed glance at someone who walked past, her lips twitching in irritation.
A boy rolled past on a skateboard, his presence seemingly offending Rose. She narrowed her green eyes slightly before, with a perfectly casual movement, she lifted her foot and nudged the tail of the skateboard just as he passed her. The board shot forward, clattering loudly as it tumbled down the stone steps of the school entrance.
The boy let out a startled yelp as he stumbled forward, barely catching himself before turning with an indignant glare. Rose, however, was already feigning innocence, looking at her nails as if she hadn't just sent his board to its demise. Her friends snickered beside her, amused.
But thenâher gaze lifted and met Luca's.
He didn't move. Didn't say a word. Just held her in his sharp, knowing stare.
Rose froze for a fraction of a second. A flicker of guilt flashed across her face, barely there before she quickly straightened up. Her posture shifted, her expression smoothing into something more neutral, more composedâas if instinctively knowing she had just gotten caught.
Luca arched a single brow, tilting his head slightly.
She swallowed, shifting her weight before forcing a smile at her friends and whispering something quickly to them. Then, with a slow, deliberate step, she started making her way toward him.
Luca exhaled slowly, watching her approach, his mind drifting to a past he rarely allowed himself to dwell on.
Stella.
Rose was so much like her.
The effortless confidence, the way she commanded attention without asking for it, the way people gravitated toward her like planets caught in orbit. She was sharp, quick-witted, and unafraid to wield her presence like a weapon. There was something undeniably magnetic about her, something that made people want to be close.
Just like Stella.
Luca had seen it beforeâhow Rose could light up a room with just her presence, how she could make people feel important just by looking at them, speaking to them. It was a rare kind of charm, the kind Stella had possessed in abundance. But with that charm came a sharp edge, an arrogance she didn't bother to hide. Stella had been the same wayâunapologetically bold, stubborn to a fault, always dancing the fine line between playful and reckless.
And now, watching Roseâher mischievous smirk fading into something more careful under his stareâLuca felt that weight settle deeper in his chest.
She wasn't Stella.
But sometimes, in moments like these, it was impossible not to see her.
"What are you doing here?" Rose asked, coming to stand before Luca. "Is something wrong?"
"No, everything is fine," Luca said casually, stepping away from the car. "Come walk with me."
Rose hesitated, "I have Lacrosse practice."
"I'll drop you off to practice," Luca said. "You won't be late."
Rose bit the inside of her cheek, clearly debating whether she wanted to argue. But under Luca's expectant gaze, she gave a reluctant nod, adjusting the strap of her bag before falling into step beside him.
As they walked down the busy New York sidewalk, Luca noticed the way Rose kept a careful distance from him, her posture unusually stiff. She wasn't her usual, outspoken selfânot with him. Around her friends, she was all fire and confidence, but with him, there was always this... guardedness.
Skittish.
That was the word for it.
She wasn't afraid of him, not exactly, but there was something in the way she avoided his gaze for too long, how her fingers toyed with the hem of her blazer when she thought he wasn't looking. She was bracing herself, as if expecting him to scold her at any moment.
The realization sat uncomfortably with Luca.
They walked in silence for a bit, the cold autumn air crisp between them, until they passed a small café on the corner. Without a word, Luca stepped inside, gesturing for Rose to follow. She did, eyeing him with curiosity as he approached the counter.
"One hot chocolate," Luca said, glancing at the menu. "With caramel and extra whipped cream."
Rose blinked.
When he turned back to her, she was staring at him like he'd just done something completely out of character.
"Youâ" she started, then stopped, frowning slightly. "How did you know that's my favorite?"
Luca gave her a look, unimpressed. "I've watched you grow up, Rose. I know a lot more about you than you think. And that also happens to be the way I like my hot chocolate too."
She shifted uncomfortably, her fingers wrapping around the warm cup when the barista handed it to her. She looked down at it, then back up at him, as if trying to figure him out.
"Thanks," she said finally, voice quieter than before.
Luca nodded toward a small table by the window. "Sit," he said.
Rose hesitated for only a second before lowering herself onto the metal chair, her posture careful, as if wary of whatever conversation was coming. Luca took the seat across from her, leaning back with his hands clasped together on the table.
For a moment, Luca didn't say anything, simply watching as Rose wrapped her hands around the warm cup. She kept her eyes down, focused on the swirling steam, as if pretending he wasn't there might make this conversation disappear.
"So," he said finally, breaking the silence. "How was school?"
Rose glanced up at him, clearly caught off guard by the question. "Fine," she said cautiously.
Luca nodded. "And your classes?"
She exhaled through her nose. "Also fine."
His lips twitched, unimpressed by her clipped responses. "That's all I get? 'Fine'?"
Rose sighed, rolling her eyes slightly. "What do you want me to say? That chemistry is a nightmare and my history teacher has it out for me?"
"There we go," Luca said, smirking. "Actual words."
Rose shook her head, but the corner of her mouth twitched as she took a small sip of her hot chocolate.
Luca leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. "And your friends? Anyone interesting?"
She raised a brow. "Interesting how?"
"I don't know," Luca shrugged. "Anyone I should know about?"
Rose scoffed. "If you're asking if I have a boyfriend, the answer is no."
Luca smirked. "Good."
Rose rolled her eyes again. "Right, because that's totally your business."
Luca chuckled but didn't argue. Instead, he reached for his own drink, taking a slow sip before leveling her with a steady gaze.
"Why are you really here?" Rose asked, cutting through the small talk.
Luca tilted his head slightly. "Can't I just check in on my niece?"
Rose arched a brow. "No.....we have family dinners for those sort of Hallmark moments."
"I just want to see how you're doing," Luca said.
Rose's eyes narrowed, "You never did this with Lily."
Luca exhaled slowly, drumming his fingers against the table. "Lily doesn't think I hate her."
The amusement in Rose's expression disappeared instantly. Her fingers curled around the cup, her shoulders stiffening as she looked away.
For a moment, she didn't respond.
Luca watched her closely, his voice quieter when he spoke again. "Is that really what you think?"
She swallowed hard, her throat bobbing slightly. Then, barely above a whisper, she admitted, "It's what it feels like."
Luca watched her for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. Then, with a quiet sigh, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table.
"I don't hate you, Rose," he said, his voice steady, certain. "Not even a little. Not even if I had a gun to my head."
Rose's fingers tightened around her cup, but she didn't immediately look at him. Instead, she stared down at the dark liquid inside, as if searching for answers there.
"You could've fooled me," she muttered.
Luca exhaled, shaking his head. "That's not fair."
Rose finally met his eyes, her green gaze sharp. "Oh, it's not fair?" she shot back. "You barely talk to me, you barely even look at me, and when you do, it's like you're looking at a strangerâor worse, someone you wish wasn't there."
Luca felt those words settle heavy in his chest. He glanced down, his fingers flexing against the table before he forced himself to meet her gaze again.
"You remind me of your aunt Stella," he admitted.
Rose blinked, her expression shifting from frustration to confusion. "What does my aunt Stella have to do with anything?"
Luca inhaled deeply through his nose, knowing there was no way around it now. He had spent so many years keeping the past buried, keeping certain truths locked awayâbut looking at Rose now, seeing the hurt she tried so hard to hide, he knew it was time.
He sat back, his jaw tightening as he prepared himself for what came next.
"You are a lot like Stella," he said, voice quieter now, heavier. "When I was your age, I loved your aunt Stella. We were... we were childhood sweethearts. We grew up together, and everything in my world was wrapped up in her."
Rose sat still, listening intently. The casual air she usually carried seemed to vanish, replaced by something more vulnerable, more open. She shifted slightly in her chair, though, as Luca continued.
"We were engaged. We were supposed to get married," Luca continued, his eyes momentarily clouding with the past. "But then... she broke off the engagement." He paused, swallowing thickly, as if the memory still hurt after all these years.
"....Why?" Rose asked.
"She was seeing someone else. Someone she was too afraid to admit it to me. It crushed me. I couldn't breathe. I lost everything I thought I had." Luca's voice tightened with the memory, but he quickly regained control, pushing forward.
"But that's not the end of it. Stella... she died a few days after that. Car accident," he said, his eyes darkening as the memories clouded his face. "At first, it was just another tragic loss. But later, much later, we found out the truth. The truth I didn't even know I had to look for."
Rose's brows furrowed as she leaned forward slightly, her curiosity piqued despite the tension that still hung between them.
"Stella was never just the girl I loved," Luca continued, his voice shaking slightly with the weight of the revelation. "She was... manipulated. Groomed. By her uncle, Dante. From the time she was young."
Rose's expression shifted to confusion and disbelief. "Her uncle?" she repeated, the words not quite making sense.
Luca nodded grimly, his hands gripping the edges of the table. "He used his influence over her for years. And when she found out she was pregnantâwith his childâshe didn't want to give it up. She thought if she kept the baby, he would accept her publicly and they could be a family."
He paused, his chest rising and falling as he exhaled deeply. "But her mother and her uncle... they weren't going to let that happen, Rose. They made sure of it."
Rose stared at him, her breath catching as the weight of the words settled over her. "What....what are you saying?"
Luca's eyes hardened, his jaw clenching. "They killed her. They took her life from all of us."
The room seemed to still for a moment. Rose's fingers trembled slightly around her cup as the truth sank inâsomething so unfathomable, something she could barely even wrap her mind around.
"Every time I looked at you, Rose, it's like seeing her all over again," Luca said. "And I know your dad feels the same way."
Luca's voice softened as he spoke again, but there was an edge to his words that cut through the quiet. The weight of everything between them seemed to press down, his words heavier now than ever.
"Your dad and I, we've been through too much, Rose," he said, his eyes darkening, the intensity of the emotions flooding through him clear on his face. "We've both lost someone we loved because we didn't see the danger. Because we thought we could protect her when we couldn't." He paused for a moment, his gaze never leaving hers.
"When you were born," he continued, his voice thick, "it was like a second chance to protect someone, to do right by someone we loved. And because of what happened with Stella...we're overprotective. We're paranoid. We won't let anyone hurt you the way she was hurt. I won't let anyone use you the way her uncle used her."
Rose's heart beat faster, and her fingers tightened around the warm cup in her hands. The truth felt like an anchor pulling her down, and she wasn't sure how to breathe through it.
"But you're not her, Rose," Luca said, his tone softening a little, his voice raw now as he continued. "You're not Stella. And you shouldn't be living under that weight, under the shadow of what happened to her. Your dad... he's just trying to protect you. And so am I, even if it doesn't feel like it."
Rose blinked, feeling a swirl of emotions. Everything she'd known about her family, her relationship with her dad, even Luca's complicated presence in her life, suddenly felt like it was shifting beneath her. For the first time, she wasn't sure who she was supposed to be in all of this.
"You're...." Rose spoke quietly, her voice shaky now as she dared to meet his gaze. "You're trying to protect me... the way you couldn't protect her."
Luca's eyes softened with something that looked like guiltâan emotion he rarely allowed anyone to see.
"Yeah. That's part of it," he admitted. "But it's more than that too. I see you. I've seen you grow up. I've watched you become the person you are, and I'm proud of that." His voice cracked slightly, a sign of the weight of his words. "But I can't help but remember her. Every time you laugh, every time you take charge in a room... you remind me of her, and it makes me want to keep you safe. It makes me want to keep you away from anything or anyone who could hurt you."
Rose didn't know what to say. She felt both suffocated and strangely relieved all at once. Luca wasn't just the intimidating uncle she had always known. He was someone who had been watching out for her, whether she liked it or not, and for reasons she couldn't fully understand.
"I understand....," she whispered, still processing everything. "But.... I'm not Aunt Stella. Just because I look like her....doesn't mean I'm going to end up like her."
Luca leaned forward slightly, his gaze searching hers, as if trying to find the right words to convey the depth of his feelings.
"I know," he said quietly, his voice steady but tinged with an edge of concern. "But it's hard, Rose. It's hard to let go of the past when it's still so close."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The noise of the café buzzed around them, but it felt distant, like the world had receded just a little. Rose had never thought about her family's history like this, and it felt like she was standing on the edge of something huge, something she couldn't unhear or forget.
She let out a slow breath, her fingers resting on the warm ceramic of her cup. "I'm not going to end up like her, Uncle Luca," she said again. "I'm not going to let what happened to her happen to me."
Luca gave her a small, approving nod, his eyes softening slightly. "I know you won't," he said. "I just want you to know, I'll always be here, Rose. Even if I don't know how to show it sometimes, I'll always be here."
<3 Hope you liked it