Chapter 45

• Vittorio and Ellis walked hand in hand, their steps light but their hearts heavy as they made their way back to their room in Pedesina. It was their first night together as husband and wife, but the weight of their contract marriage hung over them like a dark cloud. They entered the room, both feeling a mixture of nervousness and anxiety.
• Vittorio looked at Ellis, his eyes betraying his restlessness. He knew this charade they had gotten themselves into was necessary to pay off his brother's enormous debt, but he couldn't help feeling guilty about the whole arrangement. Ellis, too, felt the weight of the situation, but she maintained her composure, determined to fulfill her part in the agreement.
• They stood near the bed, their eyes fixed upon it, the silence between them palpable. Vittorio walked toward the grand, ornate bed in the center of the room, his eyes fixed upon it. Finally, the mafioso broke the silence, his voice tense but gentle.