DO NOT UNLOCK UNTIL 3 days later
The car came to a smooth halt, but my heart was anything but calm. I stared out the window, eyes wide at the sheer 'size' of the villa before us.
'Villa' felt like an understatement—this was a palace, with sprawling grounds, marble pillars, and an iron gate that screamed, 'WE'RE TOO RICH TO CARE ABOUT THE POOR.'
"Wow, Mommy, look at that fountain! It's HUGE!" Mia squealed beside me, her little hands pressed against the window.
Huge was right.
The fountain in the circular driveway had a bronze statue of a man with a lion—because apparently, regular water fixtures weren't intimidating enough.
The doors opened, and before I could process it, we were ushered into the house. I stood frozen in the middle of the grand living room, taking in the high ceilings, the glittering chandelier, and the polished floors that gleamed like a mirror.
