I think about Antonella's defiance. The way she challenged me on the phone. The door slamming in my face.
"She won't refuse you." I'm certain of this. "She's not stupid. She knows what tonight is."
Giulia's expression shifts again. Something like approval flickers across her features before she schools it back to professional neutrality.
"I'll speak with her this afternoon," she says. "Give her time to settle in first. Perhaps after lunch."
"Fine."
I turn my chair toward the door, ready to leave Giulia to her preparations. The wheels catch slightly on the kitchen's tile floor, and I adjust my grip, pushing harder.
The corridor stretches ahead,
Sunlight streams through the windows lining the east wall. It catches the dust motes floating in the air, turning them gold. Outside, the gardens are in full bloom.
I don't look. I keep my eyes forward, focused on the path to my room.
Then I see her.
Antonella walks toward me from the opposite end of the hallway. She's changed since breakfast—different jeans, a soft sweater the color of cream. Her blonde hair is loose around her shoulders.
She sees me too. I expect her to turn. To find another route. To avoid me the way everyone else does.
She doesn't.
She keeps walking. Her steps are unhurried, confident. Like she belongs here. Like she's not afraid of me.
We meet in the middle of the hallway, where the light is brightest. She stops directly in front of my chair, close enough that I have to tilt my head up to see her face.
She's smiling.
"Have you seen what a nice day it is?" She gestures toward the windows, toward the gardens beyond. "The sun is actually out."
I stare at her. The question is so ordinary, so mundane, that I don't know how to respond.
"I noticed," I manage.
Her smile widens. There's a dimple in her left cheek. I didn't notice it before. But here, in this light, with that expression on her face, I can't look away from it.
"I'm going to walk in the garden," she says. "Explore a bit. Giulia told me there's a rose garden somewhere on the grounds."
"There is." The words come out rough. I clear my throat. "West side of the property. Past the fountain."
"Perfect." She tilts her head, studying me. Those green eyes hold no fear. No pity. Just... curiosity. "Do you want to join me?"
"Yes."
The word leaves my mouth before I can stop it.
Antonella's smile returns, brighter than before.
"Good." She turns and starts walking toward the east entrance, the one that leads to the terrace and the gardens beyond. "I hate walking alone. It gives me too much time to think."
I follow her. My wheels are silent on the marble, but she seems to know I'm behind her. She adjusts her pace slightly. I am sure now.
"Who was it?" The question comes out before I can stop it.
She glances back over her shoulder. "Who was what?"
