STEFANO RUSSO’S (NERO’S) POV
After our talk by the sea, sothing inside finally stilled.
For the first ti in years, the noise in my head — the bitterness, the anger, the relentless ache — all of it went quiet. I felt like I had exhaled a breath I’d been holding for half my life.
Letting go of revenge didn’t make weaker. It made ... lighter.
When Zoe finally stepped back, her eyes shimred with exhaustion, but also sothing gentler — peace, maybe. The sun was gone, the sky washed in deep blue, and the soft light from the cabin porch frad her in gold. Her cheeks were still damp from tears, and her hair was a little ssy from the sea breeze.
"We should head back," she said softly. "Aunt Gina will start to worry."
Aunt Gina.
The na tugged at , a little out of place in all the storm we’d just survived. "Aunt Gina?" I asked, raising a brow.
She smiled faintly. "My aunt. I ca down here to stay with her for a while."
"Oh," I said, quietly surprised. "You never ntioned her."
She hesitated, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "She’s my mom’s younger sister. She’s... more like a mother to ."
Sothing warm flickered in her voice when she said it. It made sense now — her calmness, the steadiness she carried even in pain. Maybe it ca from this woman she called her safe place.
"I see," I murmured.
Without thinking, I reached up and brushed a strand of her hair away. My hand lingered a little too long, and she didn’t pull away. I’d missed that — her warmth, her nearness. Everything about her had a way of grounding .
When she smiled at the touch, I felt sothing small and quiet settle in my chest.
"Co on," she said finally, holding out her hand. "Let’s go."
I took her hand, the feel of her palm against mine both familiar and new.
We started walking up the hill. The night air was cool, the sound of waves fading behind us. I let her walk ahead a little, watching her move. We didn’t look like two people who’d just torn open old wounds. We looked like two people trying to piece sothing back together — one step at a ti.
By the ti we reached the porch, warm yellow light spilled through the windows. Laughter drifted faintly from inside — that easy, dostic kind of sound I hadn’t heard in years. Sothing I didn’t even realize I missed.
Zoe paused at the door and turned to . "You don’t feel pressured to et my aunt, do you?" she asked carefully.
I chuckled under my breath, rubbing the back of my neck. "Should I?"
She gave a teasing smile. "You’re acting like I’m taking you to et a royal family. She’s just my aunty. Relax."
"I’m not nervous," I lied — badly.
She laughed, shaking her head. "You’re adorable when you’re pretending you’re not nervous."
That word — adorable — coming from her lips almost made choke out a laugh. I hadn’t been called that in my life.
"Very funny," I muttered, half embarrassed, half amused.
She grinned, pushed the door open, and the sll hit imdiately — roasted chicken, garlic, butter, sothing baking in the oven. The house was small but full of warmth, every corner humming with life.
A young boy was sprawled on the couch with a tablet, the sound of so cartoon murmuring in the background.
"Aunt Gina?" Zoe called out.
A clatter ca from the kitchen, then footsteps. A woman appeared — round face, white hair in a ssy bun, apron tied at her waist. Her face lit up instantly.
"Zoe! There you are! I was starting to think you—"
She stopped mid-sentence when her gaze landed on .
"Oh." Her brows arched, amused curiosity flickering in her eyes. "And this... must be Nero."
I blinked. She knew my na.
Zoe’s cheeks flushed slightly. "Yes, Aunt. This is Nero," she said softly. "I told you about him."
She told her about ? That thought hit sowhere deep — unsettling but also... kind of beautiful.
I stepped forward awkwardly, extending a hand. "Nice to et you, ma’am."
Aunt Gina’s smile widened. "Oh, please. ’Ma’am’ makes sound ancient. Call Aunt Gina. Any friend of Zoe’s is welco here. Co in, co in!"
Before I could react, she was ushering inside. "Paul! Stop picking at the chicken! We have a guest!"
A tall man appeared from the kitchen doorway, holding a piece of bread. "I wasn’t picking—" He froze when he saw , then laughed. "Oh. Hey there."
"Hi," I said, feeling like a kid eting soone’s parents for the first ti.
He crossed the room and shook my hand. "Paul," he introduced.
"Nero."
"Good to et you finally," he said warmly.
Zoe brushed past us to help set the table, and as she did, her fingers grazed mine — just briefly, but enough to calm my nerves.
Dinner was simple but perfect — golden roast chicken, seasoned potatoes, salad, warm bread. I hadn’t realized how empty I was until the first bite. It wasn’t just the food. It was... belonging.
"So, Nero," Aunt Gina began, folding her napkin neatly. "How long do you plan on staying in Los Angeles?"
I nearly choked on my water. "Uh, not long," I said quickly.
Zoe gave a look that said we’ll talk about that later.
Aunt Gina nodded. "That’s fine. I’m just happy to see Zoe smiling again. She hasn’t been herself these past few days."
Zoe blushed and shot her aunt a glare. "Aunt—"
"It’s true," Gina said, grinning.
I couldn’t help but smile. "I’m glad she’s smiling again too," I said quietly, eting Zoe’s eyes across the table.
Sothing softened in her gaze, and for a brief mont, the noise of plates and laughter faded.
Paul leaned forward. "So, Nero. What do you do?"
"I run a few businesses," I said vaguely. "Mostly overseas."
He nodded, impressed. "That explains the accent."
Zoe’s cousin — the kid from the couch — piped up. "Are you rich?"
Zoe groaned. "Micah!"
I laughed. "Uh, I manage," I said, trying not to grin too hard when the boy’s eyes widened.
Dinner went on with laughter and small talk. Aunt Gina told funny stories about Zoe as a teenager — embarrassing ones that made Zoe nearly hide her face in her hands. I laughed until my chest hurt.
It had been so long since I’d felt that kind of ease — surrounded by warmth that asked for nothing in return.
After dinner, the family moved to the living room. Zoe helped clear the dishes, and when she stepped out onto the porch afterward, I followed quietly.
The air was cool, filled with the hum of crickets and the faint glow of fireflies near the trees. Zoe leaned on the railing, barefoot, her hair falling softly around her face.
For a while, I just watched her. There was sothing sacred in her stillness.
"I think I finally understand why you wanted to head back ho so badly," I said.
She turned slightly. "Why’s that?"
"It feels... untouched. Peaceful. Like nothing bad can reach you here."
Her lips curved faintly. "Aunt Gina’s house has always been my safe space."
"I can see why."
We fell quiet again. The kind of quiet that didn’t demand words.
Then I took a step closer. "Zoe..."
She looked at , eyes curious. "Yes?"
I swallowed. "I want you to co back with ."
Her brows drew together. "Back where?"
"Ho," I said softly. "Back to the city. To us. To Emily and Benny — they miss you."
Her lips parted slightly. "You want to co back?"
I nodded. "I know you’re still processing everything. So am I. But when you weren’t there, nothing made sense anymore. I don’t want to live like that again."
She looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers nervously. "You left once, Nero. You just... disappeared. How do I know you won’t do it again?"
Her voice was gentle, but her words hit like a knife.
"You don’t," I admitted honestly. "But I’ll spend every day proving I won’t."
Her eyes lifted to mine — searching, vulnerable. "You said you needed to forgive. Are you sure you have?"
I thought of my mother. The blood. The anger. The long nights when all I wanted was vengeance. And then I thought of Zoe — her tears, her strength, the peace I felt beside her tonight.
"Yes," I said firmly. "Because if I don’t let go of that, I’ll lose you. And I can’t. I won’t."
She let out a shaky breath, her voice small. "Do you really think we can go back to how things were?"
I stepped closer until our hands almost touched. "No," I said quietly. "I don’t want us to go back. I want us to start over."
For a mont, she didn’t move. Then a small smile broke through the uncertainty on her face — hesitant but real.
"Is that a good idea?" she asked softly.
I smiled. "Probably not. But it feels like the right one."
Her eyes t mine — full of doubt, longing, and sothing dangerously close to love.
Finally, she whispered, "Okay."
I blinked, uncertain. "Okay?"
She nodded slowly, a quiet smile tugging at her lips. "I’ll co with you."
It wasn’t a grand declaration. But it was enough.
I reached up, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. "You won’t regret it."
She gave a small laugh, half teasing. "I already do." Then her tone softened. "But I want to try."
I smiled — wide, real, maybe the first real smile in a long ti.
And as the night settled around us, I realized that love — true love — wasn’t in the grand gestures. It was in monts like this. In forgiveness. In laughter over dinner. In two people deciding that, sohow, despite everything, they still choose each other.
And for the first ti, I knew — this ti, I wasn’t letting go.
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