The road to the ranch seemed never to end.
Valentina Rossi stared out the window of the black SUV while trying to process the absurd amount of... nothing.
Fields.
Mountains.
Trees.
More fields.
How could anyone live this far from civilization?
"We're almost there," Walter Hayes commented from the front seat.
Valentina barely nodded.
She had stopped trying to hide her tension miles ago.
And then she saw it.
Blackwood Ranch appeared between the hills like something from another era.
Enormous.
Imposing.
Beautiful in a wild way.
The main house was built of dark wood and stone, surrounded by endless fences, giant stables, and horses moving freely.
It looked more like a small kingdom than a property.
Valentina took it all in silently.
She hated admitting it, but... it was impressive.
The SUV finally stopped in front of the main entrance.
Walter got out first to open her door.
Cold air struck her skin again as she stepped down carefully.
And right then...
Crack.
Valentina went still.
She slowly looked down.
The heel of one of her shoes had just snapped clean off after sinking between the stones and mud.
Absolute silence.
Walter's eyes widened slightly.
A couple of workers passing nearby tried to pretend they were not watching.
Valentina closed her eyes for one second.
Don't scream.
Don't scream.
Don't scream.
"Miss Rossi..."
She smiled.
A dangerously fake smile.
"I'm perfectly fine."
The heel dangled miserably from her designer shoe.
Perfect.
Simply perfect.
Valentina slowly removed both shoes before breaking the other heel off with her hand.
Walter looked unsure whether to be impressed or frightened.
"Well," she murmured, holding the destroyed shoes, "I suppose Montana wins round one."
One of the workers let out a laugh before trying to hide it.
Valentina shot him a lethal look.
He almost stopped breathing.
Walter quickly cleared his throat.
"I'll show you to your room."
Yes.
Her room.
Her new room.
Her new life.
God.
She entered the house while trying to ignore the cold floor beneath her feet.
The interior was even more striking.
High ceilings with wooden beams.
Huge fireplaces.
Elegant staircases.
Old, masculine details everywhere.
It was not rustic the way she had imagined.
It was luxurious.
But in a completely different way from New York.
Everything there seemed solid. Real.
Walter climbed the stairs carrying the suitcases.
"Mr. Blackwood asked that you be made comfortable here."
"Difficult mission."
Walter hid a smile.
They stopped in front of enormous double doors.
When he opened them, Valentina went still.
The room was gigantic.
A huge bed.
Windows overlooking the mountains.
Perfectly maintained antique furniture.
A private fireplace.
And silence.
Too much silence.
There were no horns outside.
No traffic.
No sirens.
Nothing.
The emptiness of the place began pressing against her chest.
Walter set the suitcases near the bed.
"If you need anything, the staff will be downstairs."
"Thank you."
When the door closed and she was alone, the smile vanished completely.
Valentina slowly looked around the room.
Then she walked to the window.
Endless mountains.
Darkness.
Wind moving through the trees.
This was her life now.
She felt the knot rise in her throat.
"I'm not going to cry," she whispered quickly.
But her eyes burned.
Because for the first time since everything had begun, she understood something horrible.
This was not temporary.
This place was truly going to become her home.
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