I'm back in Rome.
The city looks the same but feels different. Or maybe I'm different.
Mario picked me up from the airport. He looked terrible—exhausted and thin and nothing like the confident man I left.
Sonya's death has aged him. Perfect. He's vulnerable now. Ready to be orchestrated.
I wanted to say something meaningful. Instead I just hugged him. He needs his best friend right now. Not the person orchestrating his complete devastation. Just the friend.
I can be the friend. I can be anything he needs me to be. That's the gift of being an excellent liar.
By Christmas, everything is going to change.
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You're trying. That's more than you were doing before.
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