CHAPTER 264
KATYA POV
The front doors of the mansion opened with a soft echo, sunlight spilling across the stone steps like it had been waiting for us.
I hesitated instinctively at the threshold, my hand hovering near my side, the yellow skirt stirring gently around my thighs as a light breeze brushed past.
Outside felt bigger somehow. Louder. Less forgiving. Chiara, on the other hand, didn't hesitate at all. The moment her feet hit the steps, she lit up.
"Come on!" she called over her shoulder, already jogging across the wide driveway. I followed, slower, my sandals tapping softly against the stone as my gaze lifted and landed on the sleek black car parked near the entrance.
It was low and glossy, sunlight glinting off the surface like it was proud of itself. Not one of the usual cars that came and went from the mansion.
This one felt… personal. Chiara reached it first and practically bounced beside it, patting the hood affectionately. "Isn't she beautiful?"
