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**Chapter 30: A Moment to Remember**
The morning sunlight spilled across the terrace, bathing the vineyard in hues of gold and green. Elena stood by the balustrade, her thoughts still lingering on the previous night and the words Marco had spoken. His sincerity, his quiet strength—it had unsettled her, but in a way she couldn't deny.
As if drawn by fate, Marco appeared at the edge of the terrace, his footsteps soft on the stone. Elena turned at the sound, her gaze meeting his.
"You keep finding me," she said, her voice tinged with amusement.
Marco smiled, his easy charm lighting up the space between them. "Or maybe you're the one drawing me here," he replied, his tone playful yet genuine.
Elena felt a warmth rise in her chest at his words. "I wouldn't say this place is particularly inviting," she said, gesturing toward the vineyard. "With all its secrets and shadows."
Marco stepped closer, his expression softening. "Maybe not to everyone. But to me, it's the most beautiful place in the world."
Elena raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Why?"
Marco's gaze wandered to the horizon, his voice thoughtful. "It's not just the lavender fields or the hills," he said quietly. "It's the people. The stories. The moments that make life worth living. Like this one."
His words hung in the air, and Elena felt her heart skip a beat. For the first time in weeks, the weight of her father's secrets and the estate's mysteries seemed to lift, replaced by the simple joy of being in Marco's presence.
"You have a way of making things seem so... easy," she said softly.
Marco chuckled, his smile tinged with something deeper. "Only with you," he admitted.
As the sunlight warmed the terrace, the distance between them seemed to dissolve. Marco reached out, his fingers brushing against Elena's. The touch was light, tentative, yet it carried a charge that neither could ignore.
Elena looked down at their hands, then back up at Marco, her breath catching in her throat. "Marco…" she began, her voice barely above a whisper.
He leaned closer, his gaze steady and full of promise. "I don't know what the future holds," he said softly. "But I know I want to face it with you."
Elena felt her heart race at his words. And as the terrace faded into the background, she realized that amidst the chaos of her life, she had found something worth holding onto.
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