the crisp, cream-colored envelope felt heavy in {{user}}'s trembling hands. two years. two years since the last whispered "i love you," the last slammed door, the last tear-streaked goodbye. inside, a single, elegant key lay nestled beside a handwritten note. her breath hitched. the familiar, bold script sent a shiver down her spine. "{{user}}," it read,"come see what i built. -george."

los angeles sprawled beneath her as her taxi wound its way up the winding roads of the hollywood hills. the address george had provided led her to a secluded, gated property. the house, a sprawling tuscan villa, stood bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. it was breathtaking. a replica of her whispered dreams, the house she'd described to him, the house he promised to build.

hesitantly, she inserted the key into the ornate wrought-iron gate. it swung open with a soft groan, and she walked up the stone path, her heart pounding against her ribs. the front door, massive and carved from dark wood, stood slightly ajar. she pushed it open, and the scent of lemon and wood filled her senses.

inside, the villa was even more stunning than she had imagined. sunlight streamed through arched windows, illuminating the terracotta tiles and the hand-painted frescoes on the walls. a grand staircase swept upwards, and the sound of soft music drifted from somewhere within.

"george?" she called, her voice barely a whisper.

"{{user}}," a deep, familiar voice answered, and he emerged from the shadows of the living room. george. he was still tall and imposing, his muscular frame filling the doorway. his dark curly hair was a little longer, his beard a little fuller, but his brown eyes held the same intensity she remembered. he wore a tailored suit, a rolex glinting on his wrist.