CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR - WHO CAN BE TRUSTED?

As if sensing her thoughts, Vincenzo paused, turning to face them. "We're almost there," he said, gesturing towards a stone structure barely visible through the trees ahead. "The monastery." Luca nodded, his eyes fixed on their destination. "Vincenzo," he said, his voice low and intense. "I need to know. Why are you really helping us?" For a moment, silence hung between them, broken only by the whisper of wind through the trees and their own labored breathing. Vincenzo's face twisted with a mix of emotions – regret, determination, and something deeper that Rebecca couldn't quite place. "Because I owe you, Luca," Vincenzo finally said, his voice rough with emotion. "Because years ago, when I betrayed your father, you could have had me killed. But you didn't. You gave me a chance to walk away, to start over. And now... now I have a chance to repay that debt." Rebecca studied Vincenzo's face, searching for any sign of deception. But all she saw was raw honesty, a man laying bare his s