Morning light spilled through the villa windows.
The air was still and warm, too calm for comfort.
Elena stood by the balcony, looking at the garden below.
The flowers looked fresh, the fountain clear, the path swept clean — yet something felt wrong.
She frowned.
The villa had always been quiet, but today the silence carried weight.
Even the birds that usually perched near the gate were gone.
Behind her, Sofia sat on the couch, flipping through a magazine.
“Why are you standing there like a statue?” she asked.
Elena didn’t answer right away.
Her eyes stayed on the gate.
Then she said softly, “Something’s different.”
Sofia looked up. “Different how?”
Elena turned around. “The guards. I don’t see them.”
Sofia laughed lightly. “Maybe they’re inside. It’s hot out there.”
Elena s
