The sleek, black SUV rolled to a slow stop in front of the grand estate, its towering stone façade looming against the late afternoon sky. The mansion was new—impressive, sprawling—but to Isabelle, it didn’t feel like home. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
She stole a glance at the twins in the backseat. Amelia clutched Bunny tightly, her small fingers curled around its soft fur, while Elliott sat rigid, his lips pressed together in that way he did when he was thinking too much. Neither had spoken much since they left their old apartment, and their silence now felt heavier than ever.
Beside her, Sophia exhaled loudly, arms folded tight. “I can already tell I hate it here.”
Isabelle shot her a warning look, but before she could say anything, the heavy front doors swung open.
Sebastian emerged o
