Adriana let out a soft laugh. Slowly, she walked up to Francesco, rose onto her toes, and lifted a hand to hook beneath his chin."Francesco, don't regret it."Francesco curled his lips into a faint smile. Catching her hand, he squeezed it firmly.His blue eyes resembled a tranquil lake beneath spring sunlight—glimmering softly, impossibly deep."I never regret anything."Adriana lowered her gaze with a smile and withdrew her hand.Outwardly, she appeared calm and composed, but inside, she had no certainty at all.Facing the immensely powerful Este family, she didn't know how far she could truly go.She no longer had the heart to read academic papers, so she leaned against the window and watched the rain instead.The rainfall was thick, draping the lush greenery outside in a thin veil of mist, elegant and fresh.That evening, the three of them went together to the Stanley residence for dinner.Richard was absent. When Scott saw Francesco, his face immediately darkened, but t
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