Jessica walked away from Dante with a mixture of relief and lingering tension. She knew convincing him to speak with Armando was a small victory, but it felt insufficient against the mounting pressures surrounding her family. As she made her way back to the nursery, her mind raced with thoughts of how to balance her loyalty to Armando with her desire to protect her family from his shadowed world.
Later that evening, the house settled into an uneasy calm. The sounds of children playing had dimmed, replaced by the soft hum of nighttime activity. Jessica sat in the nursery, cradling Alvaro in her arms, while Sean and Mia busied themselves with preparing a light dinner in the kitchen. Her mother sat nearby, knitting quietly, her presence a steady source of comfort amidst the chaos.
Just as J
