orizon, casting a warm glo

pulled up to the

ening in surprise at the grandeur of the property. It was the firs

smiled warmly. "It's quite a place, isn't it?" she said, her voice gentle

ord as they stepped out of the

he inside, with tall ceilings and marble

til they reached the dining hall where the Donato family's patriar

e head of the table, his face breaking into a smile. "Ah, Delilah," h

e to her grandfather, a friendship forged long ago. "Thank you for having us," she said

he empty seat beside him, he spoke, "I apologize that my grandson, Marco,

ary, the older woman sensing her

ilah to come tonight-her niece had been reluct

finally agreed, and now, the girl lo

's patience began to wear thin. His face tightened, though he hid his frustration wel

in relative silence, though the old man did

g increasingly uncomforta

s-perhaps stubborn, just like Del

was an important

ry bite. Maybe Marco's absence meant that he wasn't int

nse of comfort, even though she d

he doors to the dining hall creaked open.

ping his absence would force his

ad of the table, with Mary and Delilah eating quietly-he realized he h

co with a glare that could have frozen a lesser man in p

had no intention of playing along, and as h

n hair, a famili

narrowing as he tried to plac

rossed in finishing her meal to notice Marco at

difficult for Marco to see her face clearly, but he

re here," he said loudly, pretending as if he hadn't noticed Marco

h turned at the ment

ed to see the man who was s

ed, and exactly like the type of

went rigid. Her heart raced in shock. She knew that face.

slightly as the pieces clicked together in his mind. "If

to the table, his steps steady, t

pproached the table. A flood of

me now, face to f

t disappointment she would feign if he rejects her, eager to

of rejecting her, Marco sat

aken aback. Why is

he saw Marco's gesture as a sign he was slowly warming up t

as because of one thing: he had never expected Delilah, his betrothed, to be the sam

ection. She noticed it out of the corner of her eye bu

ned to Mary, greeting her in Itali

re you,

with warmth. "Sto bene,

rco. It's good

weak, despite her parents being Italian. She had grown up surrou

l Delilah heard Marco say something that caught her

ery gorgeous, Aun

her laughter drawing

ds in her mind, trying to pi

. "He just call

r eyes landing on Marco, who

ore he casually turned his attention back

Marco his food, but Delilah couldn'

is." She quickly reminded herself that she didn't

muttered to herself, "so this whole t

oment passed, and Delilah realized

r hand, had barely

uation, the grandfather, noticing the subtle exchange

fully, his eyes gleaming with mischi

his "getting to know each other" session. She gave her most innocent smile

ncern with a smile. "Oh, I'm

g him a discreet but sharp

rked again. "No, Nonno is right. We s

stood, walking around the t

a rush of f

She cursed inwardly.

d toward her, motion

at Delilah, as if to say "You're safe

atter. If danger lurked, she would m

quick nod. "Alright," she mu

dining hall, her heart pound

lanned, she would find a way to make su