Chapter 21

• Vittorio, Ellis, and Eleonora walked side by side, guided by the school's Principal, Madelyn Johnson. The school corridor seemed longer than ever, laden with the tension of the impending moment.
• When they finally reached the door to the principal's office, Madelyn entered first, followed by Ellis, who hesitated for a moment before stepping in. Instinctively, Vittorio held the door for her and lightly placed his hand on her back, a gesture of the mafioso that stirred something within Ellis, causing her pulse to quicken momentarily. It was a vivid reminder of a past life, a past they had sworn they'd managed to leave behind. She felt a shiver run down her spine as he touched her back gently, guiding her. That touch brought forth a cascade of memories and emotions she had tried to bury, and the physical proximity between them was more unsettling than she cared to admit.
• Eleonora observed the scene with a lump in her throat, witnessing the touch between her husband and his ex-wife. It was as if she was watching something from a different time in her life, a time she didn't belong to.