CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THREE – ASPIRATIONS

As the evening progressed, their conversation turned to the future. They spoke of their hopes and dreams, the things they wanted to achieve in their lives. Luca found himself sharing aspirations he had never voiced aloud before – his desire to modernize the estate's operations while still honoring its rich history, his hope to use the family's resources to make a positive impact on the local community. Rebecca's eyes lit up as he spoke, and she began to share her own ideas, suggesting ways they could combine their skills and resources to create meaningful change. As they talked, bouncing ideas off each other with growing excitement, Luca felt a surge of joy. Here was someone who not only understood his dreams but wanted to be a part of them, to help shape them into reality. After dinner, they walked hand in hand through the grove, the moonlight filtering through the silver-green leaves of the olive trees. They stopped beneath a particularly ancient tree, its trunk twisted and gnarled