The kitchen smelled of coffee and packed luggage. Isabella Rossi stood by the island, wringing her hands, tears streaming down her face.
“I cannot stay, Mr. Croft,” she sobbed. “My mother… the doctors in Napoli say it is time. She needs me.”
William stood by the window, looking out at the winter skyline. Isabella had been the glue holding this fractured household together since the accident. Losing her felt like the final collapse of the “Sanctuary”.
“I understand,” William said, his voice hollow. “The jet is ready for you.”
“I did not leave you without help,” Isabella said, wiping her eyes. “I spoke to the agency. I interviewed them myself. I found someone… different.”
She handed him a file. *Sophie Laurent.*
“She is a music teacher, barely twenty-five,” Isabella explained. “She is gentle. She needs the work, and she plays the piano. Leo needs music in this house, William. The silence is killing him.”
William glanced at the photo of a young woman with kind, anxious eyes. He didn’t care about the music. He just needed someone to ensure Leo was fed and clothed so he could disappear back into his work.
“If you trust her,” William said, handing the file back, “then hire her.”