It's late when I return to Andy's place. After our discussion with Ezio, I decided to come back here. Despite his offer for me to move back in with him tonight, I chose to decline for my own protection. The wound of his betrayal is still fresh, and despite the sincerity of his words, I feel lost. Even though I'm dying to be in his arms and never leave, I let caution guide my decision to take the necessary time before joining him.

Lost in my thoughts, I barely hear Andy moaning. It's only when I turn on the light that I realize what's happening and hear Andy scream.

"May, turn off that light, damn it !"

I catch a glimpse of Andy straddling Salva, both of them looking completely mortified.

"Oh, shit, sorry ! I'll turn it off right away, " I say, grimacing.

Suppressing a laugh, I quickly turn off the light and retreat to my room.

The next morning, I wake up and find the lovebirds in the kitchen.

"Did you two get enough sleep, lovebirds ?" I tease.

"Isn't your pussy too dry, May ?" Andy shoots back before disappearing into her room.

"Touché,"  I admit laughing.

I see Salvatore tense up and turn red.

"Don't worry, Salva, you'll get used to Andy's unfiltered words. After a while, you won't even notice."

"I hope so,"  he mutters, sipping his coffee.

His tone irks me slightly, and I decide to defend Andy.

"Does honesty bother you, Salva ?"

He almost chokes on his coffee. He sets his cup down, wide-eyed.

"N-no, not at all, it's just not something I'm used to."

I smile at him.

"I understand. The first time I met her, it threw me off too," I admit, pouring coffee into my cup as the memory of our first meeting floods my thoughts.

" "Coffee ?"

"No, thank you. My stomach is so tied up in knots, I'd spend the rest of the day on the toilet otherwise. Or rather, the restroom," Andy replied with a tight smile, her crossed legs shaking, causing her heels to click against the floor.

I returned her smile before taking a seat across from her.

"Why you ?"

My question animated her fingers, which began to torture her cuticles, a habit she must have had often, judging by their redness.

"Well, I've... I've worked for the best, stringing together..."

"I don't care, I interrupted, causing her legs, fingers, and breath to falter. Listen, agents have been flooding in here for nearly a week. They all tout their exceptional qualities as agents. I don't care about that, or about your professional past. I don't want to hurt you, but I don't want to spend my career changing agents. That's why I'm so demanding. I want to build a sincere and lasting relationship."

"Start by changing your look."

"Excuse me ?"

"Your image is one of the keys to your success. I'm surprised no one has told you that you don't have to shop in the grandma section. And your hair... let's not even talk about it. Even my dog is better groomed. You have such a beautiful face; it's a shame it's marred by... that," she admitted, ending with a dubious pout.

Silent, I scrutinized her, hands in front of my mouth, one eyebrow arched. Her words, though far from pleasant, were a real breath of fresh air. Finally, I had found the quality I was looking for: honesty. Beyond her honesty, her words showed me she would push me to improve without holding back, always in my best interest, because yes, I had deliberately presented myself this way to test each candidate for the job. Of them all, only Andy had revealed her true self without hesitation or pretense.

"Excuse me, I went too far. People often criticize me for my... authenticity," she said, correcting herself in response to my lack of reaction.

"I'll hire you only if you promise always to keep this honesty. I feel that together we can shine." I concluded with a big smile that was matched by Andy's.

She had then exploded with joy, hugging me before realizing my stillness and pulling away."

Since that day, she has never failed to keep her promise, surpassing my expectations every day.

"What's the plan today ?" Andy asks, returning to us.

"I think I'll go see Ezio. I won't stay long because he and Paola have their restaurant date tonight to keep up appearances. If you two want to do something together, we can."

I see Salvatore glance at Andy, embarrassed.

"We already have plans for tonight, just the two of us," she replies.

"No problem. I'll have a solo pajama movie night and wallow in self-pity," I joke.

"We'll think of you while enjoying Tony's delicious mushroom ravioli," she teases.

"You're going to Tony's ? High treason ! You deserve the stake !" I laugh.

Andy blows me a kiss and winks. I go take a shower, get ready, and let Salva drive me to Ezio's place.

"You know, Salva, you don't have to drive me everywhere now that you're with Andy. You can use this time to be with her instead."

"I appreciate it, May, but it's still my primary duty and job. I need to ensure your protection at Don Ezio's request, and I don't want to fail in my mission. Serving the Madini family is a great honor for me, as they've been so good to me since my childhood."

"Are you that close ?" I ask, curious.

Salva clears his throat and shifts a bit. I realize it's a sensitive topic.

"My mother was their housekeeper when Donna Sienna was still alive."

"Donna Sienna ?"

"She was, or at least used to be, Giuseppe and Ezio's mother. She was kindness and generosity personified. She was the embodiment of gentleness and altruism. I'd never seen a woman as radiant as her, and I never understood what she was doing in this world of criminals where betrayal and pain reign. She allowed me to play with Giuseppe and to have access to the same activities and lessons as him. Thanks to her, my mother and I lived under a warm and caring roof. We could never have dreamed of such a beautiful life, and I would never have been as happy. Giuseppe was always very kind to me, treating me like a brother. We had strong bonds. However, everything changed when Lady Sienna passed away. Raphael lost his mind and expelled us, which unfortunately led to my mother's death. Ezio was too young for me to form real bonds with him. As soon as he could, Giuseppe put me in a safe place, and after his death, Ezio kept me on, seeing me as a loyal man. That's why I do this job today and why I take pride in serving him. Even though I had nothing, Giuseppe and Ezio gave me everything. Ezio is very generous when he honors us with his trust."

I smile at his last sentence, fully agreeing. Despite his beautiful speech on loyalty, I couldn't resist the call of suspicion that sees in his poignant story a detail that could feed my doubts. Could the tragic loss of his mother due to Raphael's expulsion have infected his soul so deeply that it harbored a desire for revenge ?

"How did Sienna die ?" I question, eager to learn more.

Salvatore's face suddenly darken, and he avoids my gaze through the central rearview mirror.

"I'm sorry, but it's not my story to tell. But it was tragic... really tragic."

Haunted by the ghosts of the past and myself by the truth hidden behind the shadows, we remain silent for the rest of the journey.

A few minutes later, we arrive in front of Ezio's place. I step out of the car and head toward the hall to take the elevator. Once in the apartment, I look for him and find him in his gym, boxing a punching bag. I take the opportunity to admire his muscles, even more defined than usual from the workout, the sweat making them glisten under the light. As soon as he sees me, he stops.

"May ? What are you doing here ?"

"Nice to see you too, Ezio. I hope you're not imagining it's me when you're hitting that poor bag. With the speed and intensity of your punches, your opponent would never get up again."

He gives a faint smile but quickly suppresses it, becoming thoughtful.

"That's the point."

He removes his gloves and wipes himself with a towel.

"You don't look well, are you okay ?" I ask, concerned.

"No, it's not a good day, May. You should have called before coming. I would have spared you the trip by telling you I wanted to be alone," he responds coldly without looking at me.

With those words, he brushes past me angrily and goes upstairs. I stand there, helpless, not understanding what just happened. I follow a few seconds later and find Ezio sitting in the armchair, his left arm resting on the armrest. He's oscillating a glass in his fingers, hypnotized by the enchanting dance of the amber liquid.

Exasperated at the sight of the alcohol, I provoke him.

"Don't you think it's too early for whiskey ?"

He gives me a dark look, and I quickly realize my provocation was too much. He clenches his jaw, looks away, and throws the contents of his glass into the fireplace.

"Go away, May, please."

"So you're not going to tell me what's wrong ? Is it something I did ?"

He sighs and, as calmly as he can while being angry, replies:

"Not everything revolves around you, May. I asked you nicely. Don't push me to be mean. I'm telling you again, I don't want to talk. I don't want company. I just want to be alone. Is that clear ?"

"Very clear. Stay alone with your vices. It's all you deserve."