"I..." she started, her voice trembling slightly as she struggled to find an answer that would satisfy him without betraying her own conflicted emotions. "I’m here, Enrico. Isn’t that answer enough?"
Enrico’s grip on her neck tightened slightly, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. She could see the conflict in his gaze, the way he was trying to gauge her sincerity, to see if this was just another one of her attempts to manipulate him.
For a moment, she thought he might push her away, might see through the facade she was desperately trying to maintain. But then, something in his expression shifted, softened, and he leaned in again, his lips brushing against hers in an almost tender way.
"It’s not just about being here, Isabella," he murmured against her mouth, his voice barely more tha
