Alan had originally intended to go alone with Aria, but his wife refused to be left behind and came along. Sheila wanted to befriend Madame Jensen. For all that she was considered near the top of society, certain circles remained firmly closed to her, and now that her daughter was becoming a Jensen, she was certain she'd finally break into Florelia's true high society.
At six o'clock, a black Mercedes pulled up outside the Jensen mansion, where a butler already stood waiting. Aria and her mother gaped at the house before them — it was simply magnificent, styled like a modern castle: a sprawling white residence wrapped in gardens and a small lake, nature and architecture blended into perfect harmony. It made even the Porters' own considerable home feel modest by comparison.
Aria's eyes sparkled like a child's at a playground. She was already picturing herself living here, drifting through these gardens, enjoying the life she believed she deserved.
