The car passed through the iron gates slowly.
Veronica watched through the window as the scenery shifted around her. The city gradually faded behind them, replaced by wider streets, tall trees, and massive houses hidden behind high walls.
She had never been in this part of the city before.
It was the kind of place you only saw in architecture magazines or in features about the ultra-rich.
The driver took a smooth turn—
And the mansion came into view.
Veronica blinked.
"You live here?" she asked.
Leon, seated beside her in the back seat, answered casually:
"I do."
The house was enormous.
Not overly extravagant—but undeniably imposing. Tall glass windows, pale stone walls, and a perfectly maintained garden stretching across the entire property.
It was beautiful.
And a little intimidating.
The car stopped in front of the main entrance.
For a moment, Veronica didn't move.
She just stared.
This was… her home now.
The thought felt unreal.
"You okay?" Leon asked.
She stepped out of the car.
"I'm still trying to understand how my life turned into this."
He closed the door behind her.
"I understand."
"I doubt it."
Leon didn't reply.
Maybe because there wasn't a better answer.
They walked toward the front door. A staff member opened it immediately.
"Mr. Alighieri."
Leon gave a slight nod.
"This is Veronica."
The man smiled politely.
"Mrs. Alighieri."
The word felt strange.
Veronica almost turned around, half-expecting him to be talking to someone else.
But no.
That was her name now.
They stepped inside.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
There wasn't the constant movement she had imagined in a place this large.
If anything… it felt empty.
"How many people live here?" she asked.
"Just me."
"Only you?"
"Yes."
She looked around again.
The house felt too big for one person.
Too big not to feel lonely.
"It must be… quiet."
"Sometimes."
Leon started up the staircase.
"I'll show you your room."
She followed him.
Upstairs, the hallway was lined with large windows, sunlight pouring in. The light wooden floor creaked softly beneath their steps.
Leon stopped in front of a door.
"This is your room."
Veronica opened it.
The space was bigger than her entire old apartment.
A large bed.
A balcony overlooking the garden.
And a walk-in closet that looked like it had been recently arranged.
"You put all this together in one day?" she asked.
"More or less."
"Impressive."
Leon rested his hand on the doorknob.
"My room is at the end of the hall."
She raised an eyebrow.
"So we're not going to…"
"No."
He answered before she could finish.
"I figured you'd prefer it this way."
She crossed her arms.
"I do."
For a brief moment, silence settled between them.
As if both of them were still trying to understand how this new arrangement would work.
"Thank you for trusting me," Leon said.
Veronica let out a small laugh.
"I didn't."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Then why did you agree?"
She paused.
"Because my family needed me to."
Leon nodded.
He understood.
"If you need anything—"
"I know."
He stepped back.
"I'll let you rest."
The door closed.
And for the first time, Veronica was alone.
She walked toward the balcony.
From above, the garden looked even larger.
A soft breeze moved through the trees.
For a moment, everything felt too calm.
As if nothing strange was happening.
But inside her…
It was the opposite.
Everything was changing too fast.
Marriage.
A new home.
A man she was still trying to understand.
And Daniel.
She knew that phone call hadn't been the end of it.
Daniel was not the kind of man who simply walked away.
Veronica rested her arms on the balcony railing.
"What have I done…" she whispered.
At that same moment…
Somewhere else in the city…
Daniel sat inside a parked car.
Watching the entrance of the Alighieri mansion.
The engine was off.
The lights were out.
He had been there for over half an hour.
Just watching.
When he saw the lights turn on upstairs, his grip tightened around the steering wheel.
"So you really moved in with him…"
On the passenger seat, there was an envelope.
Inside—documents.
Financial reports.
And a photograph.
Daniel picked it up.
It was old.
Him and Veronica, sitting on a park bench years ago.
He ran his thumb over the image.
"I should've stopped this sooner…"
His gaze returned to the mansion.
His eyes had changed.
Harder.
Colder.
More determined.
"I won't let him destroy you."
Daniel started the car.
But before driving away, he cast one last look at the house.
Because in his mind—
This wasn't over.
Not even close.
For him…
This was only the beginning.