Serena sat with them, her own plate untouched for a moment while she watched Elio lean his small weight against her side.
She exhaled for the first time since she had walked in.
The front gate buzzer screamed through the quiet.
Everyone froze.
Vittorio’s eyes snapped open, instantly cold and alert.
Mrs. Chen wiped her face and hurried to the intercom panel by the pantry.
A man’s voice crackled through, loud and familiar.
“Serena! I know you’re in there! Open this gate right now! I have a court order to see my daughter’s living conditions!”
Serena’s blood went cold.
Daniel.
Elio’s hand tightened on her sleeve.
Vittorio was already moving, his grief replaced by something razor-edged.
He pressed the intercom.
“Who is this?”
“Daniel Reyes. Serena’s husband. Her ex. Whoever she told you she is, you should know she’s under review for child endangerment. I’m here with a court-appointed evaluator. You are legally required to let us inspect where my daughter would be living.”
Serena stood so fast her chair scraped.
“He’s not supposed to be here until the hearing,” she whispered. “He’s not— Lucia isn’t even here, she’s at my neighbor’s—”
Through the small kitchen window, Serena could see the iron gates.
Daniel stood there in a windbreaker, holding a manila envelope high. Beside him stood a tired-looking woman in a gray coat holding a clipboard.
Vittorio looked at Serena, at the four boys with carbonara still on their plates, at the evaluator.
If he turned them away, it would look like he had something to hide.
If he let them in, Daniel would see a kitchen that ten minutes ago had been a disaster zone and a woman he could paint as unstable.
Serena’s hands started to shake.
“I can’t lose her,” she said, barely audible. “Please.”
Vittorio’s gaze held hers for one steady second.
Then he buzzed the gate.
“Let them in,” he told Mrs. Chen. “And bring me the security hard drive from last night.”
Daniel entered the kitchen like he owned it.
He didn’t look at the boys. He looked at Serena’s wet hair, her stained shoes, the mop still leaning against the fridge.
“Jesus, Serena,” he said, performing for the evaluator. “This is where you brought Lucia? Look at this place. Look at you. You drag our daughter from apartment to apartment and now you’re playing maid for some rich guy’s feral kids?”
