THE ESTATE
PART ONE: THE ARRIVAL
3:47 PM — Moretti Estate, Front Drive
Dante’s car pulled through the iron gates and onto the gravel drive.
Aria heard the crunch of tires before she saw him. She’d been standing near the fountain with Lucia, reviewing the flower placement again. The deep red roses would be arranged in tall vases along the aisle. White roses would frame the fountain itself. The combination would create a visual pathway that drew the eye toward where she would stand.
But when she heard the car, all of that preparation fell away.
She watched Dante emerge from the vehicle. He moved with the same deliberate slowness he always did nothing rushed, nothing performative. He was wearing a suit despite the warm afternoon, and his hair was slightly disheveled from the drive. When
