Chapter 14
The autumn air was crisp and clear the following Saturday when Julian’s car rolled through the open iron gates of the Vance estate. The rain from earlier in the week had washed away the grime, leaving the grand Victorian mansion looking less like an abandoned relic and more like a stately home recovering from a long, troubled winter. Harrison Vance stood on the front steps, dressed in a clean black coat, waiting for them as they parked and stepped out of the vehicle.
Lily clutched Elena’s hand tightly as they walked up the gravel path, her brown eyes wide with a mixture of nervousness and curiosity. Julian walked slightly ahead, offering a respectful nod to the elderly man waiting on the porch.
"Welcome," Harrison said, his voice raspy but warm as his gaze fell upon Lily. He stepped closer, kneeling down so he was eye level with the ten-year-old girl, the fierce hostility of their first meeting completely gone, replaced by a profound, sorrowful wonder. "You have your mother's eyes, you know. I’d recognize that look anywhere."
Lily didn't pull away; instead, she offered a small, tentative smile, stepping slightly closer to Elena for reassurance. "Did you really know my mom?"
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"I did," Harrison said gently, a sad smile touching the corners of his mouth. "She was stubborn, and she had a spirit that couldn't be caged by this big old house. She would have loved you fiercely, just as I can see these two
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