Eleanor returned to Manchester at midnight. She called Ethan and learned that Freya had already fallen asleep, so she decided not to disturb her. Instead, she went to her villa and planned to pick her up the next day after school.
Early the next morning, Teresa was waiting outside to take her to the property management office. Now that all the surrounding villas had been purchased, they needed to choose a new design for the boundary walls to ensure consistency throughout the estate.
The office was only a ten-minute walk from her villa, so they decided to stroll there together. The air was crisp, and the trees lining the path swayed gently in the morning breeze. The streets were quiet, save for the occasional birdcall or passing cyclist.
When they arrived, the office had just opened. Not all of the staff had reported for duty yet, and the front lobby was empty.
