After bidding Serena goodbye—after promising to meet on a later, properly scheduled date—Dante checked the time and exhaled slowly. He was already late.
He turned toward the other end of Monterio, where steel and concrete rose beneath the afternoon sun.
On the far side of the valley, the construction site hummed with life. Machinery roared, metal clanged, and workers shouted instructions over the noise. For once, everything was running smoothly. With the national holiday approaching, the crew worked with renewed energy, hoping to finish early.
Dante's gaze was on Emilia who stood near the scaffolding, sleeves rolled up, dust clinging to her boots. Calm like this never lasted long.
“Emilia.”
She turned.
Dante walked toward her, her hardhat tucked under her arm. One look at his face to
