Hailey's POV
The Norway Mansion had always known how to calm me.
The moment the gates slid open, something in my chest usually loosened. The gravel driveway curved gently toward the house, framed by old banyan trees whose branches had shaded generations of secrets. I learned to ride a bike here, I learned how to lose gracefully, I learned which silences meant love and which meant expectation.
Tonight, the mansion looked the same.
That was the problem.
The lights glowed warm behind tall windows. The fountain in the courtyard murmured softly, familiar and patient. Even the air smelled right—jasmine from the garden, polished wood drifting out when the front doors opened.
My body relaxed on instinct.
My mind did not.
Every step inside felt like walking deeper into a l
