The three of them sit down at the table, and there is a tension in the air that can be described as extreme worry.
Aunt Maria stands up to fetch tea, returning to her seat. Dante nervously takes the cup and sips, aware of the questions to come.
"Dante, I want you to tell me what happened yesterday with the man who broke in and the man who took you."
Aunt Maria speaks in a stern voice, yet her concern runs deep as she looks at Dante, expecting him to answer truthfully.
Dante takes another sip of his tea, gathering his thoughts about the past two days as he contemplates what to tell her.
***
After a few moments of silence Dante looked up at his aunt, took a deep breath, and said, "Well, yesterday a man broke into the house. I was dealing with it until an officer arrived, killed the man, and took me to the station."
Dante knew he was lying to Aunt Maria, but he couldn't bring himself to tell the truth, fearing the potential consequences.
Aunt Maria sighs deeply, taking a sip of her tea. "Okay, I'll believe you, Dante, but if there is any problem, come to me." Dante smiles and nods.
"I promise, if anything happens, I'll come straight to you," Dante says with a convincing tone, determined to keep the truth from both her and Olivia.
***
Over the next three days, Dante spends time with his aunt and sister, visiting markets, attending plays, and engaging in other activities, trying to make the most of their time together.
On the morning of the fourth day, Dante wakes up to Olivia knocking on his door. He sits up and hears his name being called. He walks over to the door and opens it. "What's wrong, Olivia? Is something happening?"
Olivia looked at him with a somewhat concerned expression. "W-well, there is a man outside who wants to see you. He says he's a friend." Dante noticed that Olivia was shivering slightly. Just then, he heard his aunt's voice call out loudly, "Who are you, and what business do you have with Dante?"
Dante descends the stairs and, not surprisingly, sees Daniel with his striking blonde hair and emerald green eyes, which are easily recognizable.
"Aunt Maria, let me talk with this man, please." Dante walked slightly toward the front door, gently pushing his aunt inside. She protested and tried to stay outside; however, Dante had already closed the door behind her.
Dante turned to Daniel and said, "You're rather late, huh? By a few days. What were you busy with?" Daniel smirked, amused by Dante's annoyed tone and messy appearance.
"Our little situation turned into a big issue, so we needed a few days to work. Please forgive us, my dear Dante." Dante narrowed his eyes, becoming more annoyed with the playful tone.
"You should get dressed properly; we have much to discuss." Daniel stepped away from the door, now waiting for Dante to dress.
Dante walked inside to find his aunt waiting, looking stern. "Dante, who is that man and why is he here?"
"He's a friend I met recently. Do not worry, Auntie; I'm not getting into trouble, just some business I need to handle," Dante says while going up the stairs.
"Dante, are you hiding something from me? If you are, tell me now." Aunt Maria stands at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for an answer.
Dante stops at the top step, not knowing what to say. After a few moments, he turns and says, "I promise I'm not hiding anything; you can believe me, Auntie." He smiles at her, hoping she believes him.
Aunt Maria thinks for a moment and then smiles, "Okay, Dante, don't make me regret trusting you."
Dante smiled back and went to his room to change into appropriate clothing: long pants, a button-up long-sleeve shirt, a coat, and a black tie. When he returned downstairs, he saw his aunt, who still looked worried but managed to smile at him. "Please be careful, dear. Don't get into trouble," she said with concern.
Dante gave her a reassuring smile. "I promise to stay safe. I love you, Aunt Maria. See you soon."
Dante stepped outside and closed the door behind him. He noticed Daniel waiting by a carriage, which had its door open. Without saying a word, Dante walked over and got inside. Daniel joined him and closed the door, and soon the carriage began to move.