Nonna’s Dinner
Caterina’s breakfast table was large enough to seat twelve people, yet Sofia noticed that the seating arrangement placed her directly between Lucien and Elias. She suspected the grandmother had done it deliberately, because Caterina seemed incapable of making accidental choices when family politics were involved. Elias arrived late and apologized with the polished smile of a man who considered punctuality optional. Sofia smiled back and decided she would rather face his hostility openly than spend another day pretending not to recognize it.
Caterina served coffee herself, which immediately silenced everyone. She said that the family had spent too many years allowing business to dictate personal relationships, and she wanted one meal where nobody discussed boards, shares, s
