~~~Dominic
As we pulled through the automatic gate—matte black with a clean geometric design—I was immediately struck by how quiet everything felt.
The driveway curved gracefully beneath a canopy of olive trees, their leaves whispering in the breeze. The house itself was a vision of modern architecture: clean lines, sharp angles, and walls of glass that mirrored the dusky sky. But it was the surroundings that made me pause. A sleek reflecting pool ran parallel to the path, perfectly still, like a sheet of glass stretched across the earth. On the other side, a garden bloomed in curated chaos—clusters of lavender, ornamental grasses, and tall succulents dancing in the soft wind. Somewhere deeper in the greenery, I caught the gentle trickle of water—probably a hidden stream or fountain.
I
