Chapter 127

• Chapter 127: Caged Birds and Broken Trust
• Luca releases a soft chuckle, the sound hollow and devoid of his usual warmth. He shakes his head with deliberate slowness, as if the very motion might help him find the right words to navigate this increasingly treacherous conversation. The morning light streaming through the windows seems to highlight the tension lines forming around his eyes.
• "Lena, listen to me carefully," he begins, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "Trying to head out right now—it's really, really not a good idea at this point in time. The timing couldn't be worse."