Twenty-five minutes later, Cleo finally arrived at the estate address Ryan had given her. The cab pulled up slowly in front of a grand, gated entrance surrounded by tall iron fences and manicured hedges. She reached into her purse and handed the driver his fare, who nodded curtly before driving off into the distance. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Cleo stepped out of the car and made her way toward the estate gate.
At the entrance stood a pair of security guards, their posture rigid and watchful, like immovable sentinels guarding the grounds. Their stern faces revealed no hint of softness, their eyes sharp as they scanned the visitors with professional suspicion. Cleo approached cautiously but confidently.
One of the guards stepped forward and asked in a clipped tone
