Chapter 131. Sudden Change

Calla glanced through the open doorway of the dining hall. The table inside was long enough to seat more than twenty people. Crystal chandeliers hung above it, catching the sunlight.

“It’s beautiful,” Calla admitted quietly.

“It is strategic,” Donna Marta corrected gently. “Beauty is useful. It makes people comfortable, and comfort makes them careless.”

Calla nodded slowly and they continued walking.

Donna Marta paused in front of a tall portrait at the end of the hall—generations of Romano men painted in dark suits, with stern expressions and proud stances.

“Our family has stood in this house for over a century,” Donna Marta said softly. “Every decision made under this roof shaped what you see today.”

Calla looked at Rico’s painting. He looked drop-dead gorgeous. His