177

Isabella 177

As I sat across from Ava, the weight of our shared experiences hung heavy in the air. I watched as the early afternoon sunlight danced through the leaves, casting dappled shadows across the porch. Ava's eyes held a sadness that mirrored my own, a silent testament to the burdens we both carried.

"Tell me about those early days, Ava," I urged gently, breaking the somber silence that had settled between us.

Ava sighed, her gaze drifting into the distance as memories from the past flooded her mind. "Those were dark times, Isabella," she began, her voice tinged with regret. "After Vito was arrested by the army, I was left alone to fend for myself and Damien."

"Rose was the only one who stood by me back then," Ava relayed to me. "But she took advantage of my helplessness," She added bitterly.

I knew what she was talking about. Rose had an affair with a young Damien and it ruined the relationship between Ava and the whole of St. Dumas.

"I knew about