The bell above the door chimed again as a group of construction workers in Royal-branded vests entered, their loud laughter filling the room. The bustling atmosphere of the pizzeria provided a strange, domestic shield for the conversation.
"Lilly, why don't you take Ethan to the back booth? It's quieter there. I'll bring over a special 'welcome home' white pie," said Alfred, shooing them away with a floured hand.
Lilly led the way, her sundress swaying gently. Ethan followed, noting how the sunlight through the window caught the gold highlights in her hair. They sat across from each other in the worn leather booth, a piece of furniture that had survived the renovations—and decades of their shared history.
"You look different, Ethan. Your eyes... they're harder. And that suit looks like it costs more than this entire block used to be worth," said Lilly, her voice soft but direct.
