Chapter 97

• The night was calm, the moon casting a soft glow over the Castellano family’s backyard. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of damp earth from an earlier rain. Jane sat on the porch steps, her arms wrapped around her knees, gazing at the stars. The house behind her was quiet, the chaos of the day finally settled into uneasy stillness.
• The soft creak of the door broke her solitude, and she glanced over her shoulder to see Luca stepping outside. He carried two mugs of coffee, his expression unreadable but calm. Without a word, he handed one to her and sat down on the step beside her, his broad shoulders brushing hers.
• “Couldn’t sleep?” he asked after a moment, his voice low.