We waited a few minutes before the door finally opened.
A woman stood before us beautiful, blonde hair tied into a neat bun, wearing a navy blue dress. She smiled warmly.
"Benvenuto."
It had been a long time since my father had seen Giulia.Ever since their parents passed away, he had left… leaving his own sister behind.
I didn't know much about our family's past.My father never spoke about it.Maybe… I could ask Aunt Giulia one day.
As we stepped inside the mansion, I immediately noticed the difference.
Back in Belgium, our villa was modern, clean, minimal, elegant.But here… everything felt older. Not outdated, but restored, preserving a kind of quiet beauty within its architecture.
There were several living rooms.Giulia mentioned that only the one near the entrance was actually used.
Children ran in and out of the house, their laughter filling the space, bringing it to life.
Meanwhile, Giulia and my father sat in the living room, drinking tea and talking quietly.
"Leonardo! Matteo! Elena! Sofia!" she called out the window.
Soon, the children came rushing inside.
Giulia turned to them, asking who would show me my room.Elena quickly volunteered.
I followed her upstairs, leaving the rest of the house unexplored.
When we reached the bedroom, I placed my things on the bed and set my suitcase beside the nightstand.
"Thank you" I said.
She smiled.
"How old are you?" I asked.
"Eleven! What about you?"
"Seventeen… almost eighteen. And the others?"
"Sofia is twelve. Leonardo and Matteo are twins, they're both thirteen!"
I nodded, sitting down on the soft bed.
The room looked like something out of a fairytale.Sunlight reflected gently across the floor and the covers, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
For a moment, I stayed silent, observing every detail.
Then Elena spoke again.
"You should be careful."
I looked at her, confused."Careful? Why?"
"Mom is very strict" she said seriously."Even if you're family and staying here for a long time, she won't let you go into certain rooms."
I frowned slightly.
"Some doors are always locked" she continued."We're not allowed either. We've never seen half of our own house."
My eyes widened, curiosity growing.
"You're not curious? Haven't you ever asked what's inside?"
"I have. We all have" she replied."But we've never even found the keys."
I nodded slowly, intrigued.
"I see… thank you for telling me."
She smiled and stepped back toward the door.
"No problem!"
Not taking it too seriously, I grabbed my bag and went downstairs.
Near the living room, I called out to my father.
"Dad, can I go explore the area?"
He turned, hesitating slightly but Giulia spoke first.
"You should stay home, Liora."
I looked at both of them, waiting.
"For your own good" she continued."It can be dangerous outside, especially if you don't know the area."
"But it's so empty here" I replied."There's a town just ten minutes away. I just want to see it."
She frowned and glanced at my father.
After a moment, he sighed.
"Go. But be back tonight."
I smiled and waved before heading outside.
The air was fresh.
The horses weren't far, quietly moving across the fields.
I walked toward the gate… and kept going.
The first place I went to was a library.
I hadn't expected to find one so quickly.
Inside, it was vast.Shelves filled with books, people absorbed in their reading, a peaceful silence respected by everyone.
I walked toward the history section.
A golden book caught my eye.
It was placed too high. I tried to reach it… but after a few attempts, it slipped and fell to the floor.
The soft sound echoed slightly, but no one reacted.
Relieved, I bent down to pick it up, but someone else grabbed it first.
I looked up.
A boy stood there, holding the book.
"Thank you" I said.
He looked at me, still holding it.
"Do you need this book?" he asked.
"Not really… it just caught my attention. Do you need it?" I replied politely.
He smiled and let go.
"Take it. I'll find another one."
He turned slightly, scanning the shelves.
I couldn't help but notice him.
Brown hair, tall, well dressed, a white shirt, a black tie, a dark blue sweater layered over it, and black pants.
He picked another book, flipping through the pages.
"Do you come here often?" he asked.
"No. It's my first time. I'm just discovering the city."
He looked at me again.
"First time? You're not from here?"
"No. I'm from Belgium… but I'll be staying for a while."
He smiled, clearly interested.
"I could show you Venice. It's a beautiful city."
I hesitated for a second… then nodded.
"Thank you. I'd like that."
"What's your name?" he asked, putting his book back.
"Liora… Liora Vance."
"And you?"
He slipped his hands into his pockets and looked straight into my eyes.
"Kael Carter."
We said our names…without knowing the story they already shared.