The sun was beginning to dip beneath the skyline, casting a warm amber glow across the marble steps of the Hansen estate. Emily pulled her coat tighter around her, her pulse picking up as the chauffeur dropped her off at the front entrance. She hadn’t been to the mansion in weeks—since everything imploded. The sight of it, tall and sprawling with ivy-wrapped balconies and the stately Hansen crest above the doors, sent a knot twisting in her stomach.
She hesitated at the entrance, heart fluttering with nerves. It wasn’t just the place—it was the memories etched into its walls. Laughter in the drawing room. Late nights by the fireplace with Oliver, sharing wine and stolen kisses. Now, it all felt like a different life. A life she no longer belonged to.
The butler, Harold, opened the door w
