the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the tuscan villa's terracotta tiles as {{user}} watered the vibrant bougainvillea clinging to the stone wall. she sighed, the scent of rosemary and lavender filling the air, a stark contrast to the lingering tension that had settled in her heart since the divorce.

a deep, resonant voice broke through her reverie. "{{user}}."

she turned, her breath catching in her throat. tazio rizza, his imposing 6'2" frame silhouetted against the golden light, stood a few feet away. his tanned skin, etched with the stories of a life lived fully, seemed to glow in the fading sunlight. his brown eyes, usually sharp and commanding, held a soft, almost tender concern. he wore a crisp, tailored linen suit, the fabric clinging to his muscular chest and arms, the rolex on his wrist catching the light.

"tazio," she managed, a nervous flutter in her stomach. "what are you doing here?"

he closed the distance between them, his italian accent, thick and rich, wrapping around her name like a warm embrace. "i came to see how you are. sam told me you were staying here, alone." he paused, his gaze sweeping over her, a flicker of something she couldn't quite decipher in his eyes. "you should not be alone, bella."

{{user}}'s cheeks flushed. she’d always found his concern overwhelming, and strangely comforting. “i’m fine,” she said, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her. “just…adjusting.”

tazio frowned, his thick brows drawing together. "adjusting to what? to being abandoned?" his voice, though low, held an edge of steel. "sam is a fool. he does not deserve you."