Chapter 47
The car stopped in front of the façade of a medium-sized two-storey villa with a massive garden on one side. Arianne alighted from the vehicle and helped the twins remove the straps of their car seats. They were dressed up today: Lily wore a white dress with pink and violet printed flowers, while Leo wore a white shirt and denim pants. Both looked excited to visit their home, which they hadn’t seen for weeks.
As the twins ran inside the villa, Arianne stood before the main entrance. Franz was nowhere to be seen, but he had already sent her a message that he was on his way to join them.
Arianne took the time to look around Alex and Layla’s home. She was surprised that her friends had chosen a smaller villa rather than a larger estate. Despite its decent size, security was tight. Precautions lingered even when presence did not.
The outer walls were high, with CCTV installed around the perimeter. A few guards were also stationed around, even if their masters weren’t there anymore.
At the main entrance was a heavy mahogany sliding door with carved floral motifs. As she stepped inside, the polished white marble floor greeted her. The hallway held a small but long shoe cabinet with two glass bowls on top, each containing a few trinkets and keys.
Arianne could hear the twins’ voices from the living room and followed them. When she entered the room, she was greeted by a massive wedding photo of Alex and Layla hanging on the wall. She stood for a moment and stared at it.
She remembered their wedding day clearly. Alex and Layla were married a year before her departure. She and Dominic were invited, but only she could attend the joyous event. Alex and Layla had been so happy that day that their smiles and gazes at each other could make one envious of their love.
Witnessing such a scene had made Arianne wonder whether she and Dominic would be as happy as they had been when they got married. Alas, fate decided otherwise. The future she once considered sharing with him had disintegrated into nothing.
“Auntie?” Lily called after Arianne.
“Yes p>
“Why didn’t you and Uncle Franz hang your wedding photo at home?” the young girl asked.
Arianne blinked and glanced at Lily.
How could she tell her that, unlike Lily’s parents, she and Franz didn’t marry out of love? Their marriage was nothing but a solution, a price they were willing to pay to keep the company afloat and protect Lily and Leo’s future.
“We didn’t take wedding photos,” she answered, seeing that Lily won’t drop the issue.
Lily furrowed her brows in confusion. “But why p>
“We didn’t have time to set up a photoshoot,” Arianne replied.
Lily wanted to question her further, but seeing Leo run down the hallway leading to their old room, she dropped the subject, leaving Arianne behind.
Arianne glanced around the living area, noticing the couch and other furniture were covered with white cloths to protect them from dirt. She heard footsteps coming her way and saw that Franz had just arrived.
He removed his sunglasses and hooked them onto the pocket of his white dress shirt.
“Sorry. I had to take the longer route. Is everything okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yeah, I think the twins went to their old room p>
Arianne paused and studied the place. Even after several weeks without habitation, the place was still clean.
“I sent cleaners here every week to ensure everything stayed clean and preserved,” Franz said, explaining the arrangement.
“Has your family decided what you’ll do with this villa?” she asked.
“This property is under Alex and Layla’s names. Obviously, it will be part of the twins’ inheritance. We decided to keep up with the maintenance of this place until the twins decide what to do with it p>
Arianne noticed the slight change in his tone but didn’t press him for answers.
“It feels homey. Did they choose everything in this house?” she asked, changing the topic.
“Oh, yes.” Franz smiled. “I remember it took them over two years before they moved in because they couldn’t decide which house to buy. Alex said they couldn’t find the right house—their dream one—so they decided to build instead p>
“That sounds like Alex,” Arianne commented. “If things don’t go his way, he creates one p>
Franz let out a chuckle and smiled at her.
“Let’s find the twins,” he suggested and led the way.
They found the twins on the second level of the villa, trying to unlock a room. Leo stood behind his sister with a blue backpack filled to the brim with toys, while Lily pressed random numbers on the doorknob, trying to open it.
“What’s wrong, Lily?” Franz asked as he and Arianne walked toward the twins.
Lily turned her head to look at them and tried to turn the doorknob again.
“It won’t open, Uncle. Do you have the key?” she asked.
Franz shook his head.
“The master keys aren’t with me. What room is this anyway? Why do you want to go inside?” he asked in return.
“It’s Daddy’s study,” Lily explained. “I want to see more pictures of him and Mommy, but I can’t open it p>
Arianne checked the doorknob, then glanced at the other doors along the hallway.
“It requires a PIN, unlike the other rooms,” she noted.
“Have you tried your birthdays?” Franz asked.
“Yes, but it won’t open, Uncle.” The little girl entered their birthday again, but a short beep told her shehad entered the wrong code.
“Let me try,” Franz said.
The twins stepped back to give him room to enter the code.
Franz tried Alex’s and Layla’s birthdays, but they didn’t work. Even their wedding anniversary was rejected.
“Ah, I don’t understand. I can’t think of Alex’s favorite numbers. Do you know anything, Aria p>
“Just a guess,” Arianne replied. “I can’t guarantee it will work p>
“That’s better than nothing,” Franz said as he stepped aside, allowing Arianne to move forward.
Arianne studied the number pad. This kind of door lock required a six-digit PIN code.
She lifted her hand and pressed six numbers one by one.
1-8-2-9-2-9
But when she pressed the pound sign to confirm, the lock made a short beep.
“It didn’t work, huh?” Arianne tapped her chin.
“What do those numbers mean?” she heard Franz ask.
“His, Layla’s, and the twins’ birthdates,” she answered, before keying another set of numbers.
0-8-2-4-0-8
This time, the doorknob made a long beep and flashed a green light.
The twins rejoiced when the room finally opened. They pushed the door wider and stepped inside.
“Aria, those numbers Franz’s question trailed off.
“That’s the day Layla said yes to him,” she informed him.
“I’m surprised you know that p>
“How could I not? Your brother pestered Gil for weeks just so he could confess to her p>
The study lights revealed dust that had not been disturbed in months.
They did not move further in.