At the Virellano Residence
Sandra sat all alone in the vastly expansive living room, the coolness inside starkly contrasting with the mercilessly scorching heat blazing outside.
The enormous, enclosed space did not allow even the slightest intrusion of the fierce afternoon sunlight to creep through, not even through the narrowest crack along the side windows of the house.
Though the residence was grandiose and lavishly furnished with luxurious décor, it radiated a profound sense of quietude.
A silence so unusual permeated every corner that it seemed almost tangible, almost as if the house itself were holding its breath.
Ever since David had grown into adulthood, the children no longer filled the house with the exuberance and boundless cheer that once animated every nook and cranny of this sprawling home.
