I wasn’t expecting the invitation.
The cream-colored envelope had the Blackwell crest embossed in gold and was hand-delivered by a suited driver. Inside, a single sentence in Dominic’s crisp handwriting:
“Join us this weekend at the Blackwell Villa. Bring nothing but honesty.”
No signature. No instructions. Just the soft hint of command in the curve of the letters—and something else underneath. A warning. Or maybe a dare.
I should’ve said no.
Instead, I packed a suitcase and got in the car.
⸻
The Blackwell Villa was nothing like I expected. Nestled deep in the countryside, it was a sprawling glass-and-stone masterpiece with high ceilings, infinity pools, and too many shadows. As I stepped inside, the silence wrapped around me like a second skin.
And then—laughter.
Julian.
He appe
