The luxury car glided into the private garage, and Michael took Evelyn's small hand in his, leading her straight toward the grand entrance of the Springfield villa. The moment his fingers pushed the heavy front door open, a soft, ethereal glow spilled out from the interior.
Evelyn didn't even bother to kick off her high heels. The second she stepped over the threshold, her feet froze, her breath catching entirely in her throat as she covered her mouth with both hands, fresh tears instantly flooding her eyes.
Spread out across the immaculate marble floor was a wide, spectacular pathway formed entirely of fresh, fragrant red rose petals. Flanking the floral aisle were rows of flickering red and white gel candles inside elegant crystal goblets, extending for several meters into the depth of the foyer.
In the wide-open space adjacent to the grand staircase, dozens of colored, heart-shaped candles had been carefully arranged to spell out a massive glowing message: Happy Birthday.
