Antonietta stared at her son, lost in thought. It had never crossed her mind that this had been the reason for his breakup with Eleonora.
"I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for you, my son, but..."
"But?"Vittorio raised an eyebrow. "Tell me, Mrs. Antonietta, what defense is there for a woman who not only betrayed me but did so with the man I considered a brother, my best friend, and the one responsible for my father's death?"
"Vittorio, I believe she must have had some reason to act that way,"Antonietta replied as she watched her son shake his head in anger. "I'm not defending her in any way, but she must have an explanation for it. He may have blackmailed her... or bribed her... or threatened her family."
"No doubt, she said it was just business,"argued Vitt
