Matteo turned to him, leaning in to give him a quick, hurried kiss. "Good morning, babe. I'm sorry, I have to go downstairs."
"What happened?" Adrian asked, sensing the sudden tension in Matteo's shoulders.
"My father is here," Matteo said, already reaching for his clothes in a rush. "Stay here. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Adrian watched him for a moment as he headed for the door. "…Alright."
The door closed behind him.
By the time Matteo reached the living room, he found his father, Luciano, already seated at the center of the room, waiting for him.
"Father," Matteo said, his voice steady as he approached. "What brings you here so early? You could have called for me, I would have come to you."
Luciano gave a faint smile. "No, Matteo. I chose to come myself. It's been a while since I last visited."
Before Matteo could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Mark came down, stepped into the living room, and gave a respectful nod.
