The countryside rolled out in waves of green and gold as the car pulled through the wrought-iron gates of the Romano country estate. Nestled beyond towering pines and centuries-old oaks, the manor loomed like a relic of another time—regal, untouched, and haunted by the weight of forgotten history.
Adriana stared out the window, her fingers curled tightly around the door handle. It wasn’t fear this time—it was anticipation. Something told her that whatever secrets Marco’s family had buried… this house was holding them close.
“This place looks like it belongs in a Gothic novel,” she murmured as the car came to a halt.
Marco stepped out first, then opened her door. “It’s been in my family for four generations. My grandfather was obsessed with preserving it.”
“Why do I get the feeling that
