When David excitedly invited Penelope to his boss’s lavish mansion party, she saw it as a chance to reconnect with him. But as the evening unfolded, a small detail suggested that David had been to the mansion before, sparking suspicion and leading to the unraveling of secrets that would shatter Penelope’s world.
It was just another Thursday evening, and Penelope was busy in the kitchen, her hands covered in flour as she baked cookies for her five-year-old son, Derrick. The kitchen was filled with the sweet aroma of vanilla and chocolate, and Derrick, full of energy, was nearby, working on a painting that had turned into more of a colorful mess than a recognizable dinosaur.
“Mommy, look at my dinosaur!” Derrick exclaimed, proudly holding up his creation.
Penelope laughed, ruffling his hair. “That’s amazing, buddy! You’re getting so good at this.”
Just then, the front door creaked open, and David walked in, looking sharp in his suit but carrying the familiar weight of exhaustion on his shoulders. He tossed his briefcase near the door and loosened his tie, a sight that once made Penelope’s heart skip a beat but now filled her with a sense of longing for the past.
“Hey, Pen. Derrick,” he said with a small smile.
“Daddy!” Derrick shouted, running over to him. David scooped him up, spinning him around as he did every evening.
“How was your day?” Penelope asked, trying to keep her voice light and hopeful.
“Good news, actually,” David said, his eyes brightening as he pulled out a card from his pocket. “Laura’s throwing a birthday party this Friday, and she’s invited her top employees and their partners. Here’s our invite to her mansion.”
Penelope’s heart lifted slightly. This could be a fun night, a chance to spend quality time together. “A party? At a mansion? That sounds wonderful. We’ll need to find a babysitter for Derrick.”
“Already thought of that. Maria said she could watch him,” David replied, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “It’ll be great, Pen. You’ll finally get to see a bit of my world.”
Penelope smiled, not realizing how drastically that world would soon change.
Friday evening arrived, and as Penelope stood in front of Laura’s mansion with David, she couldn’t help but marvel at the grandeur. The place was likе something out of a fairy tale, with grand pillars, perfectly manicured gardens, and lights that made the whole estate glow likе a palace.
“I’ve never been in a house likе this before,” Penelope whispered to David…
