The reconstruction of Caffè Aurora was less about aesthetics and more about penance. Matteo worked with a quiet, focused intensity that seemed to block out the world, his hands stained with wood stain and drywall dust. He had refused to hire outside contractors, opting instead to rebuild the bar himself, as if every joint he fitted and every nail he drove was a silent apology for the three days he had spent looking at a mirror and seeing a stranger.
Giulia spent her mornings at the port, coordinating with Moretti to ensure the Syndicate’s departure was absolute. The town felt lighter, yet more fragile. The "twin shadow" of Lucia was a secret held between four people, a ghost story that would never be told.
By the afternoon of the seventh day, the café smelled of fresh cedar and lemon wax
