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“Thanks,” I said aardly “That means a lot, Aunt Melanie”

“By the e prepared a special dinner for you tonight,” my aunt continued as she stood in front of what looked like the kitchen “Chef Mona has gone all out in your honor”

I could feel my eyes widen They had a personal chef?

“You didn’t have to go through such lengths,” I said, laughing nervously and feeling even et It hat I did when I was nervous, but Aunt Melanie didn’t seem to notice

“Oh, it was no trouble at all!” she burbled “It’s such a special occasion We’ve missed you, honey”

As I opened rabbed ht I could show her to her room so she could rest for a bit before dinner?”

“Of course,” Aunt Melanie said coly “You must be really tired Get some rest, sweetheart” She looked down at her watch, which was encrusted in diamonds I felt almost blinded by the sparkle “It looks like we have an hour before Craig gets home with the twins Be sure to be ready by then”

“Of course, Mother,” said Justine, as she started to drag me down the hallway past the kitchen “We’ll be sure to be down by then”

I turned to wave atto another stairway “Wait, more stairs?” I asked in awe

“Yes These stairs lead to mine and the twins’ suites The front stairs are to the master bedroom and a few of the recreation rooms” She turned and pointed to another hallway “There’s another hidden stairway at the end of that hall They lead to staff housing”

“You have staff?” I sta here was much different than I’d expected

Justine shrugged “Only a few of the staff are live-in, just a couple of maids and the twins’ nanny Others come whenever we need help Like Chef Mona” She started to walk up the stairs and I followed her

When she got to the top, she pointed to a few doors on the left “Those are the twins’ bedroo to the door in front of us The tere twelve years old, but when I’d e to think that I had only seen theh the family portraits in their annual Christmas cards

Justine walked around to a row of doors on the right “This is uest rooht,” she said

When she opened the door, I let out an audible gasp The rooe bed in the middle, with a dresser on one side and a desk on the other