**Chapter 1: A Month Before**

The smell of sizzling meat and the sound of laughter filled Henry's backyard as we sat down to enjoy a barbecue dinner. Sarah, my 12-year-old daughter, was chatting excitedly with Henry, who was grinning from ear to ear. I couldn't help but smile as I watched them interact. Henry, my best friend and neighbor, had been like a second father to Sarah and me since we moved to Texas. As we dug into our plates, Henry's phone rang. He excused himself, answering the call in French. I recognized the language, but I didn't understand what was being said. Henry's face lit up, and he began to speak animatedly, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Sarah and I exchanged a curious glance. "Who is it?" I asked, but Henry just waved his hand, still engrossed in the conversation. After a few minutes, Henry ended the call and turned to us, beaming. "That was Esme," he announced, his voice trembling with enthusiasm. "She's coming to visit me in a couple of weeks." Sarah's eyes widened. "Who's Esme?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Henry leaned forward, a proud smile spreading across his face. "Esme is my daughter. She's been living in Europe, but she's coming to stay with me for a while." I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. I'd known Henry for years, but he'd never mentioned his daughter much. I guess I'd assumed he didn't have one. Sarah's eyes sparkled. "Can we see pictures of her, Daddy Henry?" she asked, using the nickname she'd given him. Henry chuckled. "Well, I only have old pictures of her from when she was a kid. Let me get them." He disappeared into the house, leaving Sarah and me to continue our dinner. A few minutes later, he returned with a stack of photos, which he began to pass around the table. As I took a photo from Henry, I was immediately struck by the image of a beautiful young woman with piercing green eyes and long, dark hair. Esme's features were a perfect blend of her French and Dutch heritage. I couldn't help but notice the sharp jawline, the full lips, and the mischievous glint in her eyes. In my mind's eye, I found myself describing her in detail: her porcelain skin, her arched eyebrows, and her nose, which seemed slightly upturned, as if she was always smiling. Her hair cascaded down her back in loose waves, framing her heart-shaped face. I felt a sudden jolt, which I quickly suppressed. I didn't know this woman, and I wasn't about to get caught up in some fantasy. Sarah, however, was completely smitten. "Wow, she's so pretty!" she exclaimed, passing the photo to me. "Can we see more?" Henry laughed, handing her another picture. "I'm afraid I don't have many recent photos of her. She's all grown up now." As we continued our dinner, Henry talked about Esme, telling us about her work as a translator and her multiple languages. She was fluent in Dutch, French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and Arabic. I listened intently, trying to process this new information about my friend's daughter. "She's been a model, you know," Henry said, a hint of pride in his voice. "But she decided to pursue translation instead." I raised an eyebrow, impressed. I'd never met anyone with that level of linguistic skill. As the evening wore on, Sarah excused herself to go swimming in the pool, and Henry and I sat down to enjoy our coffee. "I'm really excited to see her again," Henry said, a faraway look in his eyes. "It's been too long." I nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation. I had a feeling that Esme's visit was going to change things around here. And I had a feeling that I was going to be in trouble. The sound of Sarah's laughter carried over from the pool, and I smiled, watching her have fun. Henry and I chatted for a while longer, discussing everything from work to our personal lives. As the night drew to a close, I stood up to leave, feeling a sense of unease that I couldn't quite explain. As I walked back to my house, I couldn't shake the image of Esme from my mind. Those piercing green eyes, that sharp jawline, and that mischievous glint in her eyes. I felt a shiver run down my spine, and I knew that I was in for a surprise. Henry's daughter was coming to visit, and nothing was going to be the same again.