I never expected an invitation to Julian Ashbourne's glittering world-a realm of power, opulence, and whispered scandals. Sure, I could handle curating his late mother's mysterious art collection, but I didn't sign up for cryptic keys, stolen artifacts, and conversations that felt more like chess matches than small talk. And Julian? He's a human enigma-one part suave tycoon, one part brooding mystery, with a past as tangled as the ivy creeping up his estate's walls. But every glance, every conversation, pulls me deeper into his orbit. Then there's the collection itself-art that feels alive, humming with secrets I can't quite decode. The closer I get to the truth, the more I realize this isn't just about paintings or legacies; it's about the ghosts we carry and the choices that define us. And with each step, I'm not sure whether I'm unlocking the past... or something far more dangerous.