Hailey’s POV
The ride to the Williams’ mansion felt longer than it probably was. Maybe it was the silence, the heavy kind that fills every corner of your chest and makes you painfully aware of your own heartbeat. Roy sat beside me in the backseat, his jacket still around my shoulders. It carried his scent, a mix of rain, leather, and something warm that felt almost like safety.
His brother, the driver, hadn’t said much either. I only knew his name because Roy had mentioned it once before: Ryan Williams. His tone whenever he said his brother’s name was complicated, the kind that hinted at history, rivalry, and loyalty all at once.
The car glided through the long, wet road, past gates so tall they seemed to cut the rain in half. When they opened, I caught my first glimpse of the mansion.
