Chapter 2

Elly arrived home from work, tired but content. But as soon as Elly stepped inside, Marcus was lounging on the couch with that infuriating grin he always wore when he had something to say.

"Back under the old roof, huh, Elliot?" Marcus teased, not bothering to get up.

Elly paused, eyes narrowing. "I told you to stop calling me that name!"

Marcus shrugged, his grin only widening. "Yeah, well, it still fits." He clearly enjoyed the nickname.

Before Elly could snap back, their father, Mr. Joseph Stefano, the Managing Director of Stefano Group of Hotels, entered the room, his usual calm presence filling the space. "How was your first day?" he asked with a smile, looking genuinely interested.

Elly went over to him and gave him a quick hug. "It was okay, Dad,"

Mr. Stefano pulled back, his expression thoughtful. "Okay? That's it?"

Before Elly could explain further, their mother's voice came from the kitchen. "Okay's not enough, Elly. We want details. All of them."

Elly sighed. Their mom always demanded the whole story, and sometimes it felt like it would never end. "It's just the first day, Mom. Give me a break."

Their mother appeared in the doorway, hands on hips, looking skeptical. "First impressions matter, Elly. If you're going to do this, do it right. Same with you too Marcus"

They glanced at their dad, silently pleading for some support.

Mr. Stefano caught their look and smiled gently, stepping in. "Your mom's right, but don't worry too much. You two will figure it out."

Elly smiled back at their dad. "Thanks, Dad. I'll be fine."

From the couch, Marcus piped up again, grinning. "Guess you're still the golden child, huh? Perfect as usual."

Elly shot him a glance but didn't rise to the bait.

Their Dad glanced at Marcus "Cut it out" then looked at Elly, "Take your time, Elly. There's no rush. You'll do well."

"Yeah, yeah, Dad. Just don't expect me to cook dinner because I'm 'doing well,'" Elly teased, still smiling.

Their mother smiled too, but then quickly turned back to the subject at hand. "Alright, since you're 'doing well,' why don't you handle dinner tonight?"

Elly rolled eyes but couldn't suppress a grin. "Sure, Mom. Professional life, professional chef."

The evening carried on as it always did—teasing, laughter, and that comfortable family rhythm.

After dinner, Mr. Stefano found Elly standing on the patio, gazing up at the stars. He took a slow sip of his whisky, watching the quiet beauty of the night before speaking.

"The stars are beautiful tonight, huh?"

Elly smiled, eyes still fixed on the sky. "Yes, Dad. I wonder if Julio is looking down on us, seeing everything we've been up to."

Mr. Stefano nodded, a soft chuckle escaping him as he set his glass down. "He is. And I know your brother is proud of you."

Elly turned slightly to face him, "Proud of me, huh? Well, if Julio could see me in the kitchen, he'd probably be laughing. It's a miracle I haven't burned this place down yet."

Mr. Stefano chuckled softly, but there was a deep warmth in his voice when he spoke next. "No, Elly. He's proud of the person you've become… I'm proud of you. Leaving your career in the US to come back and help with the business… that wasn't easy. I know it wasn't what you planned, but you did it anyway—for the family. And that means more to me than you'll ever know."

Elly's smile faltered for just a moment, the weight of his Dad's words settling in. "Someone had to step in and keep things from falling apart, I guess."

Mr. Stefano's eyes softened as he placed a hand on Elly's shoulder. "I couldn't have asked for a better person to help me carry the load. Thank you."