The Promise of Forever
Venice sparkled under the moonlight, its canals reflecting a dance of lights from centuries-old palazzos. The grand ballroom of the De Luca Hotel gleamed with opulence-crystal chandeliers, marble floors, and champagne flowing like water. Among the crowd of Italy's elite, two figures stood at the center of attention: a tall, dark-haired man in a sharp tuxedo and a woman with fiery auburn hair, her gown simple but striking. They were locked in a conversation so intense that the noise of the party faded around them.
"You're impossible," the woman said, her voice sharp but her eyes alight with something unspoken. "You think everything can be bought, don't you?"
The man smirked, his confidence unshaken. "Not everything. But sometimes, life requires a transaction. You, of all people, should understand that."
Neither of them noticed the elderly woman watching from the edge of the room, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She turned to a guest nearby and whispered, "Look at them-so much passion! They'll be married before the year is out. Mark my words."
The guest laughed, but as the night unfolded, so did a chain of events that would make that bold prediction more than just a whimsical comment.