Still astonished by the scene that just played out, we stand silent for a few seconds before Ezio breaks the silence.

"Well, that was easier than expected," he concludes.

"Don't you think we were a bit rough on her ?" I ask.

"Oh, definitely, but she needed a wake-up call. When you want to get what you want in the mafia, you can't afford to consider other people's emotions. If you're too empathetic, they'll end up manipulating you. You need to be ruthless to achieve your goals. You're learning quickly, but I fear your empathy might be your biggest flaw as a novice," he says with a smile.

"Sorry for having a heart," I tease him.

"That's exactly the problem. Having a heart is a good thing, even a wonderful thing, for your family. But for those who might betray you at the first opportunity, they don't deserve it. Trust me, many fall into that category. Few truly deserve your heart," he replies, giving me a kiss on the forehead.

"As long as you don't betray me, everything will be fine. The rest doesn't matter," I respond, looking him in the eye .

"Why does that sound like a warning ?" he asks, forehead creased.

"Can you explain what you're doing with Valentina's phone ?"

With an undisguised sigh, he lowers his head and purses his lips.

"I didn't want to tell you because the lead turned out to be a dead end."

"What are you talking about ?"

"Following your suspicions, I asked Salvatore to keep the phone to look for more clues and see who would contact her in the following days. He then gave it back to me so I could continue the search on my end since a certain Andy keeps asking him for details about it," he reveals, fixing me with a wry smile.

Damn Andy.

I give him an awkward smile before biting my lip.

"But no one was going to contact her since she was dead," I change the subject.

"Unless the person she was working for didn't know."

"So ?"

"Apart from Paola and some other friends, no one contacted her."

"What does that mean ?"

"Either she wasn't the mole, or her recruiter knew she was dead."

"How could they have known ?"

"Either through a second mole or because her recruiter is within our closest circle."

"Who do you suspect ?"

"Everyone."

"Even your father ?"

"You can't imagine how vicious he can be to ensure his power."

His revelation leaves me with a flood of questions, stirring the ocean of my thoughts.

                                                                            ******

The next morning, I wake up late, around the end of the morning. The fatigue of early pregnancy is no myth. I get ready and head downstairs. The delicious aroma of pizza fills the staircase. As I reach the bottom, I see the succulent pizza cooling on the kitchen island, making my mouth water. I feel Ezio's strong, muscular arms wrap around me, pulling me close to his chest.

"Good morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well ?" Ezio asks softly into my ear.

"Wonderfully, and this breakfast is even more delicious," I reply, smiling as I gaze at the pizza serving as a late breakfast.

We sit down to eat. The early afternoon comes quickly, and it's already time to head to our medical appointment.

In the car, I notice Ezio tensing up.

"Are you nervous ?" 

"A bit. I'm anxious about the appointment."

"Why ?"

"Fear of the unknown, worried about what they might tell us, that sort of thing."

I sense there's more to it, but I decide to leave him be, as I'm also apprehensive about the appointment. We arrive at the clinic in record time and are quickly seen by the gynecologist. Once settled, we begin the examination.

"This is your first, isn't it ?" she questions.

Ezio and I exchange surprised looks.

"Yes, is it that obvious ?" I ask.

"Yes, you have the nervousness of first-time parents."

"First-time parents?" Ezio asks.

"Couples who are becoming parents for the first time," she explains with a smile.

She continues by explaining what we're seeing on the screen, showing us the limbs and organs, and finally letting us hear the heartbeat.

Ezio grips my hand so tightly that it hurts. I turn to look at him and see his eyes moist as he stares at the screen. I decide to look away to give him some privacy. I'm also very emotional hearing the heartbeat but still can't quite grasp that a baby is growing inside me. Even seeing and hearing it, it feels like it's happening to someone else.

Once the examination is over, I get dressed and join Ezio sitting in front of the gynecologist's desk.

"Let me reassure you right away, your baby is doing wonderfully." 

We look at each other, relieved, and smile. Ezio takes my hand.

"The baby is developing normally, the measurements are within the curves, and the heart is strong. As for the sex, it's a bit early to be certain, but I have a vague idea. It won't be until the fifth month that I can tell you with certainty, as long as the baby cooperates since sometimes they like to play hide and seek," she says with a smile.

"I don't care about the sex, as long as the baby is healthy, that's all that matters," Ezio responds, still emotional.

We finish the formalities and leave. Before getting into the car, Ezio takes me in his arms and holds me tightly, then pulls back and kisses me passionately.

"I love you so much, May."

"I love you too, Ezio."

We kiss again before getting into the car. The drive home is silent, with Ezio lost in thought. I let him be and enjoy the quiet. When we reach the bottom of the building, Ezio stops but doesn't turn off the engine.

"I'll let you go up, May. I have to take care of something."

"Oh no, you're not disappearing again, are you ?" I half-joke.

He laughs.

"No, I promise I'll be back as soon as I can."

He kisses me on the forehead, and I quickly head inside to escape the winter cold. Once in the apartment, I decide to warm up with a nice hot bath, the perfect way to relax. As I soak in the tub, my muscles relax, and I end up dozing off.

I wake up to gentle caresses on my face. I open my eyes and see Ezio sitting next to me, his hand gripping the edge of the bathtub, his chin resting on it.

"You look so beautiful when you sleep."

I splash water in his face.

"Liar," I smile.

"You can call me many things, but not a liar. Now, get dressed warmly, I have a surprise for you."

Curiosity pushes me to get out and get ready quickly. I find Ezio at the door of our bedroom. He takes my hand and leads me to the rooftop. The view takes my breath away; it's illuminated by dozens of scattered candles. In front of us, a glass bubble awaits, with a table set inside.

"Please," he invites, opening the way for me.

I step inside the bubble, and the warmth immediately relaxes me. To the left, there's a cozy lounge area, and at the back right, a kitchen. In the center stands our beautifully decorated table, elegant yet simple. Ezio pulls out my chair, gestures for me to sit, and then joins me at the table, sitting across from me. I lift the silver cloche and my mouth waters at the sight of the perfectly cooked rare rib-eye steak.

"Looks like I hit the mark," Ezio laughs, seeing my eager eyes.

"You couldn't have done better. Honestly, you've gone all out. What's the occasion ?" I  suspect with a hint of humor.

"I just wanted to give you a beautiful evening because you deserve it. We don't take enough time to relax and enjoy the moment."

Raising my glass of non-alcoholic sparkling wine, I make a toast:

"To us. May we have many moments like this, where we just savor the present."

"To us, my love."

We clink glasses, drink, and begin our meal.

"I'm truly happy, May. Every day with you makes me a better person. You are the most precious thing I have."

I smile and blush at his heartfelt words.

"I'm very happy too, Ezio. Even though our life isn't always easy, we always find a way to be together and never stop loving each other. You know, when Paola came to see me at the studio, she called us soulmates."

"Wow, soulmates, huh ? She might be right. Everything is so clear with you. I don't have any doubts about my future; I know I'll spend it with you and no one else. I don't need to play a role or hide who I am. You are my breath of fresh air, my comfort zone, and so much more. You are simply indispensable to my life now."

Overwhelmed with emotion, heightened by pregnancy hormones, I burst into tears. Surprised, Ezio stands up to join me and hold me, trying to comfort me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry."

"It's not your fault. I'm just very moved by your words, and with the hormones, I'm very emotional, so I get carried away easily."

"If that's the case, I'll act like a perfect jerk and become macho until the baby arrives, and the problem will be solved."

I smile at his joke and hit him playfully on the shoulder. He laughs too, then kisses me and returns to his seat.

The evening goes by delightfully; we laugh, share anecdotes, and even dance, letting the hours slip away unnoticed. After a wonderful meal, we decide to step out of our bubble. The cold feels refreshing, and I decide to admire the view from the rooftop.

"The view is magnificent."

"I totally agree," Ezio replies, looking at me.

Without turning my eyes from the view, I use my hand to turn his head towards the city. I then look at him, smiling, and see him smiling back.

I'll never get tired of this view. We feel so far from everything, so high that nothing can touch us. We feel..."

"Untouchable ?" Ezio suggests, smiling.

"You'd love for me to admit that, huh ?" I reply, looking at him with a smirk. I was going to say free.

"Admit it, May, since you've wanted to join the mafia and seen how it works from the inside, you understand why we say we're untouchable."

I chuckle at his remark.

"It's your oversized ego that makes you say that. You're in denial. You may be powerful, but no man is untouchable. Otherwise, we'd all be gods."

"Then it's to my goddess that I speak."

Not understanding his response, I turn to him and see him down on one knee, holding a box.

Ezio, what are you doing ?" I ask, my heart racing.

"May, I know we haven't been together long, that we've already had our ups and downs. Life has given us the chance to reunite and now an even brighter future with the baby you're carrying. In the end, is there really a right time for things, or do we alone decide what we want? No matter if we've been together for a few months or years, time means nothing compared to the love I have for you. All I know is that I want you by my side for the rest of my life. That's all that matters. I know we have a lot to accomplish and that our daily life is tumultuous. So, without waiting, I want to take what life has most beautifully to offer and keep it jealously for myself. I want to enjoy the present moment because even if tomorrow is unknown, I have no doubts about you, the woman of my life. My love, tonight under this new starry sky, I ask you to marry me."

He opens the box, revealing a dazzling ring.