Samantha’s POV
Before I could respond to my mum's teasing, her voice cut through the moment.
“Let’s not just stand in the doorway,” she said with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Come in. Dinner is almost ready, and I’m sure Julian could use something warm after the drive.”
Julian stepped aside to let me enter first, carrying a few of the gifts he’d brought, while my father grabbed the remaining ones from the car.
Inside, the mansion felt as overwhelming as ever. The towering ceilings, intricate crown moldings, and grand staircase reminded me of just how different my life now was from the one I’d grown up with.
Julian, however, seemed entirely unfazed, as if he visited homes like this every day.
“Your home is beautiful,” he said to my mother, his tone genuinely complimentar
