The family mansion was filled with the quiet hum of life once again. It had been months since Alessia's last breakdown, months since she'd made the decision to step away from the pain that had once held her captive. But even now, as the family gathered in the grand dining hall for what was supposed to be a celebration, the atmosphere was still heavy with the ghosts of the past.

Giovanni looked around the room, his heart a mixture of pride and regret. His once-imposing presence in the family had been tempered by time and reflection. The role of protector, the role of the one who had shielded his siblings from the world, no longer felt as natural as it once did. He could still sense the delicate balance of their fractured relationships, but the cracks were starting to heal. Slowly.

Alessia stood apart from the group, gazing out of the large windows that overlooked the garden. She had come a long way, but the journey was not over. She had healed physically, but emotionally, she was still a work in progress. Still, there was something different about her now. She no longer looked at her family with bitterness or fear. Instead, there was a quiet understanding between them—a mutual recognition that they had all lost so much, but they were still together.

Giovanni was the first to approach her, his expression solemn. "I'm sorry, Alessia," he said quietly, his voice raw. "I've spent too many years blaming myself for everything that happened. I should have protected you."

Alessia turned slowly, her eyes filled with a sadness that Giovanni had never seen before. "You weren't the only one who failed me, Giovanni," she replied softly. "But I've learned that holding onto the anger only hurts me more. No matter how hard we try, we can't change the past."

Giovanni reached out, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. He didn't know what to say. Words felt insufficient. But his gesture spoke volumes. At that moment, he wasn't just her older brother—he was a man who had accepted his mistakes and was trying to make things right in his own way.

"I'm glad you're here," Giovanni finally said, his voice thick with emotion. "I've missed you, Alessia."

She smiled faintly, the lines around her eyes softening. "I'm still here," she said quietly. "We're all still here."

The rest of the family gathered around them, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, the room was filled with a sense of warmth. It wasn't perfect, but it was real. They had come full circle. And that, Alessia realized, was enough.

The days following the family gathering were quiet but in a peaceful way. The house, once a place of tension and unspoken resentment, was now filled with conversations that, while sometimes awkward, were ultimately healing. Alessia was slowly allowing herself to reconnect with her brothers, each of them in their own way trying to make amends for their past mistakes.

Luca, the second eldest, had always been the most sensitive of the siblings. He'd never quite known how to handle Alessia's trauma, unsure of how to help her without making things worse. But over time, he had grown into his role as her protector, even if that meant giving her space when she needed it.

One afternoon, Luca joined her as Alessia was sitting in the garden, sketching a landscape she had drawn a thousand times before. He sat beside her without saying anything at first, simply watching the way she moved her pencil across the page.

"You've always been good at this," he remarked softly, gesturing to her sketchpad. "Drawing, I mean. When we were younger, you spent hours drawing the landscapes outside the house."

Alessia glanced at him, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I guess it's one of the few things that's always felt real to me," she replied. "When everything else felt like it was falling apart, this was something I could control."

Luca nodded, understanding. He had always known how important art was to her. It had been her escape, her safe place, long before any of the trauma had come into their lives.

"I've been thinking a lot about everything that happened," Luca continued, his voice quieter now. "And I just want you to know I'm here for you. No matter what. If you ever need to talk or just need someone to listen, I'll be here."

Alessia turned to face him fully now, her gaze serious but appreciative. "I know you've always tried to help, Luca. But I think... I think I need to do this on my own. I have to learn how to be okay without depending on anyone else."

Luca's expression softened, and he gently touched her hand. "You don't have to do it alone. You've got all of us."

She didn't respond right away, but deep down, Alessia knew he was right. Her brothers might not have been perfect, but they were her family. And, in their own way, they had all tried to make amends.