Julian’s family house had once looked like a palace to Serena.

Back then, the iron gates had felt grand rather than confining, the kind of entrance that promised security and permanence. The marble floors had shone like proof that she had arrived somewhere important. The chandeliers had glimmered above her like blessings, catching the light and scattering it in ways that made everything feel expensive and untouchable.

Now, the same house felt like a cage that had finally closed.

The gates ...