CHAPTER NINETY NINE – BREAKING THE STOIC SHELL

During one particularly intense session, Alessandro opened up about his childhood. "I was always in Vito's shadow," he admitted, his voice low. "He was the charming one, the one everyone loved. I was just... there." Joan leaned forward, her voice soft. "That must have been difficult for you. How did you cope with those feelings?" Alessandro's eyes met hers, and Joan felt a flutter in her chest. "I buried myself in books, in studies. I thought if I couldn't be the favorite, I could at least be the smart one." Without thinking, Joan said, "I can relate to that. I was always the bookworm in my family too." She immediately regretted the personal disclosure, but Alessandro's face lit up with interest. "Really? I wouldn't have guessed. You seem so... confident." Joan felt a blush creep up her neck. "Well, we all have our insecurities, don't we?" she said, trying to steer the conversation back to safer ground. As the sessions continued, Joan found it increasingly difficult to maintain