Chapter One Hundred Seventeen - The Truth Unveiled

Tears pricked at Amelia's eyes as Alessandro leaned in to kiss her softly. The guests erupted in applause, many wiping away tears of their own. As the applause died down, Alessandro raised his glass. "To family," he toasted. "To love, to forgiveness, and to new beginnings." "To family," the guests echoed, glasses clinking around the terrace. The rest of the evening passed in a blur of laughter, music, and heartfelt conversations. Amelia found herself moved by the genuine affection she saw all around her. Alessandro's cousins, once wary and distant, now joked and chatted freely. Even Isabella, who had been nervous about attending, seemed to be enjoying herself, deep in conversation with Alessandro's sister. As the night wore on, Amelia slipped away from the party for a moment of quiet reflection. She made her way to a secluded corner of the garden, breathing in the sweet scent of night-blooming jasmine. "There you are," Alessandro's voice came from behind her. He wrapped his arms a