Chapter 24: The Gates of Wonder

“Dr. Voss, your guests are here.”

The clear, professional female voice came through Elias’s wristwatch, crisp and efficient. Lena’s head tilted slightly. Who was that? She had never heard that voice before.

Elias glanced at the device and pressed a button. “Please show them to the main residence area, Jasmine.”

Jasmine. Lena wondered who she was — another piece of the vast, invisible network that seemed to monitor every corner of this estate.

He paused briefly, then asked, “Have you run a full panel on them Jasmine?”

“Yes, sir,” Jasmine replied smoothly. “All checks are complete. Everything came back clear with no red flags or security concerns. Sophisticated background screening on the guests was thorough and satisfactory.”

Jasmine. Lena filed the name away, wondering who this woman was and what she did.

As Elias lowered his arm, Lena looked up at him. “Master ... who is Jasmine?”

He glanced down at her, his hand resting lightly on her waist. “She’s the second-in-command of my security team, little one.”

Lena hesitated, then asked softly, “What exactly does she do?”

Elias’s lips curved into a faint smile. “She manages the more sensitive operations and oversees things. She’s very good at her job.”

Lena opened her mouth to ask something more, but Elias let out a low, affectionate chuckle and gently cupped her chin, tilting her face up to meet his gaze.

“God, you are a curious little kitten, my love,” he murmured, his thumb brushing her lower lip. “Always full of questions.”

Elias kept his hand on her waist as they moved through the corridor, but Lena’s mind was clearly elsewhere.

“Master...” she began hesitantly, “what kind of operations does Jasmine manage?”

Elias’s lips twitched with amusement. “She oversees the more delicate and confidential aspects of estate security — surveillance coordination, background vetting, protection details for high-profile visitors.”

Lena nodded, then asked softly, “How old is she?”

“Thirty.” he replied.

Another pause.

“Is she ... attractive?”

Elias raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained now. “Yes, she is.”

Lena bit her lip, gathering courage for the next question. “Has she ever been your ... partner? In BDSM?”

At that, Elias threw his head back and laughed — a deep, genuine, loud laugh that echoed down the corridor. He looked down at her with sparkling eyes, thoroughly amused.

“No, my curious little kitten,” he said, still chuckling. “She is not into BDSM at all. Jasmine is strictly professional. Always has been.”

Lena opened her mouth to ask something else — there were still so many questions swirling in her head — but Elias gently pressed a finger to her lips.

“Enough,” he said, voice warm but firm. “Your friends are already here, waiting for you. We’ll continue this interrogation another time.”

He leaned down and kissed her forehead, then gave her bottom one last possessive squeeze.

“Go on, my love. Have fun with your friends.”

───

The sleek black car hummed smoothly through the towering wrought-iron gates as if crossing into another realm entirely. Leila and Abigail were pressed against the tinted windows, their faces filled with pure, unfiltered awe. The long, winding driveway stretched before them like a path into a fairy tale — bordered by perfectly manicured emerald hedges, ancient oak trees draped in delicate moss, and expansive flower beds bursting with roses in every shade from soft blush pink to deep, velvety crimson. Sunlight danced across multiple fountains in the distance, their cascading water sparkling like liquid diamonds.

Leila let out a shaky, disbelieving laugh. “Lena ... she actually lives here? This can’t be real. This is something you see in movies or magazines, not real life.”

Abigail could barely form words. Her hand was pressed tightly to her chest, trying to calm the wild fluttering of her heart. “I feel like I’m going to cry. Look at those gardens. They must cost more than everything my family has ever owned. The flowers ... the fountains ... how is this even possible for one person?”

The car continued its graceful journey, revealing more and more of the estate’s breathtaking beauty. Both girls fell into silence, their eyes drinking in every detail. Leila thought of her own cramped apartment with the noisy upstairs neighbors and the leaky kitchen sink she could never afford to fix. Abigail thought of her tiny studio where she often ate instant noodles for dinner after double shifts. The contrast was almost too much to bear.

When the car finally rolled to a stop in front of the grand main residence, both girls stepped out slowly, as if afraid the illusion might shatter. The building rose before them like a living work of art — elegant stone architecture with soaring columns, floor-to-ceiling arched windows that reflected the sky, and sprawling wings that disappeared into the distance. The air smelled sweet with blooming jasmine and freshly cut grass. Everything felt impossibly perfect, like a dream someone had decided to build in real life.

Clara greeted them with warm, composed grace. “Welcome to the estate. Miss Lena is waiting for you on the terrace overlooking the gardens. Please, follow me.”

As they walked through the grand halls, their envy grew with every step. Crystal chandeliers hung from impossibly high ceilings like frozen cascades of light. Priceless paintings and sculptures adorned the walls. The marble floors gleamed beneath their shoes, cool and flawless. Leila felt a sharp pang in her chest. Abigail’s throat tightened with a complicated mix of joy for her friend and a deep, aching longing for this kind of life.

“She’s living like royalty,” Abigail murmured, voice thick with emotion. “Our quiet, hardworking Lena ... she’s actually living like this every single day.”

The Terrace Reunion

Lena was waiting for them on the sun-drenched stone terrace, the soft pink dress flowing elegantly around her figure. The moment Leila and Abigail saw her, they broke into excited squeals and rushed forward, enveloping her in tight, emotional hugs that lasted long moments.

“Lena!” Leila exclaimed, squeezing her fiercely. “You look like a princess! This dress, this place — oh my God, I can’t believe my eyes. You look like you stepped out of a dream!”

Abigail pulled back slightly but kept holding Lena’s hands tightly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears of pure wonder and envy. “We thought you were staying in some fancy guest house or something. But this ... this is another world entirely. Lena, are you really living here? Like, truly living here every single day?”