The moment we stepped out of the car, I felt it.
The scrutiny. The judgment. The hostility.
Theodore’s family was already waiting at the entrance of the sprawling estate—an old-world Italian villa with towering cypress trees and pristine stone archways. The scent of lemon trees and jasmine lingered in the warm evening air, but it did nothing to ease the tension tightening my spine.
I had barely taken a step before an older woman gasped.
"Mio Dio!"
She rushed forward, moving faster than I thought possible for someone her age. The rest of his family followed her closely behind.
"Theo!" she cried, reaching up to cradle his face with both hands.
To my utter shock, Theodore let her. He even leaned down slightly, pressing a kiss to each of her cheeks.
"Nonna," he murmured, his voice sof
