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"Look at this," I say, my heart pounding in my chest. "She wrote, 'Leonardo told me about the danger we're in. He's promised to help me protect Dario, but I'm terrified of what must be done.'"
"Your mother was trying to keep you safe," Jasmine whispers, her eyes wide with concern.
"But from what?" I demand, slamming the diary shut in frustration. "And how is Leonardo involved?"
"Maybe your uncle can help us figure it out," she suggests, her hand squeezing mine.
"He won't," I reply, doubt clouding my thoughts. "He told us he'll show us what we need, but as a secretkeeper, we are to make of these things what we will. He will not betray those from his past. The man is honorable."
As I stare down at the diary, a sense of dread settles over me. Leonardo – a name that holds the key to unraveling my mother's secrets. And yet, as my fingers tremble with anticipation, I can't shake the feeling that I'm about to open Pandora's box.
"Let's find out," I say, taking a deep breath and opening the diary once more. My eyes scan the pages, searching for any clue that will lead me to the truth. But as I turn the page, I find something unexpected – a hasty scribble. "My husband found out about Leonardo."
"Jasmine," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "Look at this."
"What is it?" She asks, her eyes widening as she sees the words. "So your father knows of this man."
"He does," I nod, cold seeping through my bones. "But he's never mentioned a Leonardo."
Jasmine looks over and peers at the date, gasping as she does. "Look, Dario," she points.
I pale. "Mother died shortly after this entry."
Chapter 29
The Intimate Revelation
Jasmine
I watch as Dario lingers over a few other familial possessions but tosses them all aside. He rises with just the diary in hand.He extends his other to me. I take it. Together, we walk into the workroom, where his uncle is busy observing the ticking mechanism of a watch under repair.
"Uncle," Dario clears his throat. The old, frail man picks up a magnifying glass and peers through it at the electronics under his nose.
"Yes?" he responds, now changing tools to a little wrench.
"Do you know who Leonardo is?" Dario asks, trying to keep his voice levelled when I know he's in turmoil within.
"Where did you hear that name?" his uncle inquires.
"I read it in mother's diary," Dario lifts the leather-bound book. His Uncle looks up, surprise carved in his expressions.
"Why, dear boy," his uncle exclaims. "I've never seen that thing in my whole life. Keep it. Keep it if you wil. There's no secret in there I can protect, since your mother never confided of this diary to me."
Dario and I step out of his uncle's place with the notebook safely secured in Dario's coat. The cool Roman air embraces us, wrapping around our bodies as we begin to stroll through the narrow cobblestone streets.
The apprehensive tension from the meeting still lingers between us, but it seems to be dissipating slowly, like the last remnants of a storm. I can't help but steal glances at Dario, my heart pounding in my chest as I observe the curve of his jaw and the war in his eyes.
"Come on," he says, guiding me with a gentle hand on my lower back. "I know a perfect place for us to talk."
As we round a corner, a cozy coffee shop comes into view. Its warm glow spills onto the street, inviting us in from the crisp evening air. The scent of freshly brewed coffee reaches us before we even open the door, mingling with the sweet notes of pastries and desserts.
"Ah, this place is pure joy," Dario murmurs as we walk inside, his eyes lighting up with nostalgia for simpler things.
We find a secluded spot near the back, away from the chatter of other patrons. It's here, amid the steamy warmth and soothing aroma, that I sense Dario letting down his guard.
Dario takes a deep breath, his gaze drifting to the window for a moment before returning to my eyes. "Jasmine, I have so many questions about my mother's death. Father says it was suicide, but something feels off. Why would she do that? And why so suddenly after my father learned of Leonardo? And who is this Leonardo?"
I keep my eyes on him, my heart aching at the pain and confusion etched across his face. Though I don't have all the answers he seeks, I'm committed to helping him find them.
