"'So you're a...gangster?' she asked, her voice trembling slightly, but with a newfound steel in her eyes. Alessandro's lips twisted into a bitter smile. 'That's one way to put it,' he said. 'But it's more complicated than that. It's a legacy, a responsibility. It's a life I didn't choose, but one I can't escape.'' That's not good enough, Alessandro,' Clara shot back, her voice rising slightly. 'You can't just drop a bomb like that and expect me to accept it. You're telling me you're involved in organized crime, that you're part of a world of violence and corruption, and you expect me to just...what? Be okay with it?' Alessandro's jaw tightened. 'I didn't expect you to be okay with it,' he said, his voice hardening. 'I expected you to run. To get as far away from me as possible.''Well, I'm not going to,' Clara retorted, her chin lifting defiantly. 'I'm not going to let you scare me away. I want to understand this, Alessandro. I want to understand you. But I can't do that if you keep pushing me away and feeding me these half-truths.'She leaned forward, her eyes blazing with determination. 'So tell me everything,' she demanded. 'Tell me about this life, about this family, about the things you've done. Don't hold anything back. Because if you want me to understand you, you have to be honest with me. Completely honest.'"
