Chapter 11 – Crossroads
Florence, Present Day
The villa's garden was quiet beneath a sky bruised with twilight. Sofia and Marco stood by the ancient fountain, the water whispering secrets from centuries past.
Before them lay two choices: to delve deeper into the mystery of Beatrice and Matteo or to close the book and live in the safety of what they knew.
Sofia's gaze rested on the gold ring she still wore on her finger — the symbol of a promise made long ago, and one she felt pull her forward.
"We can't ignore this," she said softly. "Not when everything we've found feels like it's leading us somewhere… important."
Marco nodded, but his eyes held a shadow. "The deeper we go, the more danger there might be — secrets some would kill to keep buried."
She met his look without flinching. "Then we protect each other. We face it together."
He smiled, a slow, steady light breaking through. "Together."
They sealed their pact with a quiet touch, two souls bound by a story written across centuries.
And somewhere far away, in a time long past, Beatrice and Matteo's hearts beat anew — as if reaching across the ages, calling them onward.