The next morning, as the sun barely rose over Rome, my mind was already grappling with new dilemmas. I wondered whether I would have to make certain sacrifices or if I could preserve what I had while fulfilling the tasks fate would inevitably assign me. I hoped for the latter.
The meeting with Cesare in the Vatican gardens and Louis's words echoed continuously in my thoughts. I didn't know if they themselves would agree with my middle-ground solution, but it seemed to be my only option at the moment. I was already trapped in a dilemma with no resolution; I didn't need another.
I tried to draw a clear line between what was right and what I truly wanted, but everything seemed shrouded in a dense fog. I felt I needed someone's help but couldn't determine who that person might be. It was already September, and I didn't know how much time I had left for all this.
