The story of how my parents met is somewhat...strange. Let me start off by saying that my dad is a businessman really good businessman-and he knows how to get what he wants because of how clever he is. And because of him being a businessman, he often has to travel across the great state of Florida in order to meet with some of his clients. A good bit of his partnerships come out of Midnightsville, the state's biggest city, and one of the biggest cities in the nation. Midnightsville is a city of opportunity. Of second chances. And, as the name suggests, it has nightlife like no other. It seems like the city is asleep during the day and only starts to wake up when the sun begins to set. Plenty of people love Midnightsville because of that. My dad hated it, though. He often complained about the amount of people there were, or how much crime happened within a day. If you want to get pickpocketed, you can go to Midnightsville and people will do it free of charge. Dad got pickpocketed one time and swore to never return to Midnightsville again. But, as luck would have it, one of his potential clients happened to be going to a show...in the Midnightsville Theater. Now, if this client were anyone else, my dad would've decided to just skip out and move along. But he didn't. He decided to pretend that he was into theater events, even though he hadn't stepped inside of a theater in ages. He decided to play along, get dressed for the occasion, and act appealing to the client by acting like he had an interest in theater. But dad had no idea who was going to be singing that night. He didn't care about finding out who it was until the curtains drew back, revealing her. Ellie Robertson. She had blonde, curly hair, her skin glowing just as much as her golden locks did. Her eyes were as blue as the ocean, matching the incredibly elegant blue and white dress that she was wearing. She was the opposite of dad, who had straight, dark brown hair and eyes with a matching shade. She paired it with a single diamond necklace that looked like it was made just for her. My dad said that when she began to sing, it sounded like heaven had just sent a thousand angels to his ears. He was mesmerized. In complete awe. He had forgotten all about the client he was trying to have a conversation with. He just wanted her.

"Mr. Evans?"

My dad blinked rapidly at the sound of his last name being called. The show had ended and he hadn't even realized.

"I think I'd like to take you up on your offer. Can we discuss things more tomorrow morning? It's getting late and if I don't get back home then my wife-"

"Sure. O-of course, we can discuss things further tomorrow."

He shook hands with the man, then hurriedly left the theater house to try and sneak to the back. Dad told me that in that moment he wasn't thinking straight. He said that he normally wouldn't have done that-but for some reason he just had to see her at least one more time.

"There you are!"

A voice stopped him dead in his tracks. Somebody caught him."

"Could you give this to Ellie?"

An older woman handed him a leather notebook, her expression looking tired and ready to go home. Dad assumed that she must've had to work late.

"You are a stagehand, correct? This won't take too much of your time. Ellie just needs her notebook after every show she does. Her door is fourth to the right."

"Right-uh-okay. Yes, I can give this to her."

So off he went, he walked until he reached the fourth door to the right. He knocked twice, waited for Ellie to tell him to come in, and opened the door to see her angelic face all over again. She was sitting right by her vanity, removing her makeup for the night.

"Hi," he barely managed to squeak out. "I-"

"You have my notebook?"

"Yeah-right-yeah. Your notebook."

He placed it beside her, their eye contact never leaving each other.

"I remember seeing you in the crowd," she eventually said, a sigh escaping from her lips. "You were in the second row...on the right side. My left side."

"You remember your audience members?"

"I like to. It makes fans feel more appreciated."

"Well that's smart."

"Mhm. You know what ain't smart, though? Sneaking through here just to see me. If my manager saw you earlier he would've had a fit."

"You saw me earlier?"

"Sneaking around like some Midnightsville alley thief, I sure did. Now why on Earth did you think it was a good idea to come all the way back here and-"

"I just had to speak to you, Ellie. That's it."

"You're a creep. I should have you arrested. You know, you ain't the first guy to try to get close to me, either. Dozens of men have tried and failed, so what makes you think-"

"Because I might be in love with you. Honestly."

That's when she put her hands on her hips...and laughed. She let out the loudest, weirdest, most animal-like sounding laugh my dad had ever heard come out of anyone. And that right there made him fall in love even more.

"You ain't in love with me! You don't know who I am as a person!"

"But I could get to know you."

"Oh yeah? When and where? Are you coming along for the tour?"

"No, but-"

"Well then! You're not in love with me. You're in love with the idea of me. There's a difference."

"I am in love with you, Ellie. And I can prove it."

"How?"

"...I can...buy you flowers."

"Aw, that's cute."

"No-not flowers. How does a puppy sound? Would you like one of those?"

"Hm...those tiny ones sure are cute. But no, I don't want a puppy. I want something bigger."

"Something bigger?"

"Yes. You wanna know what I want? A mansion."

"A mansion!?"

"A big ol' mansion, with a glorious gleaming fountain in the front of it. Inside the mansion, I want a grand kitchen, dining room, music room...oh, I can just imagine it now. Murals can be painted on the ceilings. Chandeliers made from the world's rarest gems hanging from them. That's what I want. But I know that's too much to ask, right?"

"...No. I can make it happen."

"What?"

"Do you come to Midnightsville often?"

"Whenever I get the chance. It's my favorite city, you know. I just love the nightlife. The people here are wonderful, and the food is one of a kind."

"Then I'll build the mansion right outside of Midnightsville, not too far but not too close."

"You're wealthy enough to build one?"

"I am. I'm a very successful businessman."

"Oh really? What do you do for business?"

That was a question that dad never liked to answer. For whatever reason, he didn't like to tell anyone about what kind of business he was involved with. All people knew about him was that he made plenty of money from it, which of course raised suspicions, but nobody could ever find enough proof to accuse him of doing anything illegal. But, for this situation, he only explained just a little bit to keep Ellie interested in him.

"I make deals with people who own businesses across the state. They can request something from me, and when given the money I can get them anything they need. For example, a business owner from northern Florida can request something from southern Florida. I can get them what they need within a quicker amount of time than other people can."

"So you run a shipment company?"

"Not a shipment company. I'm just good with my words. I can get people items from others before they even have to ask. And I can get people to build that mansion, too."

"Hm. Okay, I guess. I'll be on tour for a while, so I won't be back in this city until about...a year from today. Can you finish it by then?"

"...A year?"

The current year was 1875. Typically, mansions weren't built in a year. Two or three years was expected, but not a singular year. For it to be finished within that timeframe, my dad would've had to work day and night to get it complete, which would be difficult with him having to run errands as a businessman. But he wanted to be with Ellie. He couldn't explain how much he wanted to see her happy. He wanted to see her smile for the rest of his life.

"I can get it done in a year."

"Seriously?"

"You can count on it. The next time you're back in Midnightsville, you'll have a place to call home. But you have to promise me something."

"What is it?"

"If I get this mansion built by the time you're back, you have to marry me."

"Oh of course. How could I refuse marriage to the man who built a mansion for me? When I'm back, I'll be Mrs...what's your last name?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I never bothered to introduce myself. I'm Anthony Evans."

"...Hm. So I'd be Mrs. Ellie Evans. I like that, actually. It rolls off the tongue real nice."

"So you will marry me?"

"If that mansion exists, I sure will, without a doubt. I'll have your kids too."

"Sons?"

"Daughters."

"How about both?"

"That works."

"Six kids does sound nice."

"Six!?"

"Too little?"

"Too much. Why don't we have half of that number?"

"Only three?"

"Things would be different if we'd be living on a farm," she explained. "If we were farmers, then we'd need six kids to help us out. But since we'll be in a mansion, we'll only need three or fewer. We'll be far off. I make plenty of money through my shows. And I assume that you make plenty of money through your business, correct?"

"Correct."

"Well then, it's settled. We'll live in a big mansion, all five of us. Oh, and we can't forget about the staff. We'll need maids and butlers. They can watch over our children while we're away. But that's only if the mansion is built, of course."

"It'll be built. I promise you, Ellie."

My dad never broke promises. He hated the thought of doing so, especially to those he loved. He got to work the minute he left the dressing room, ideas flooding all through his mind. He rode his horse through the city and toward the outskirts, thinking of what plot to start building on. Once he found one, he rode back into town and began to work on sending out telegrams to the people who owed him favors (and he had a lot of people who owed him favors). By the next morning, his plan sprang into action, and dozens of men got together to build this mansion with the closest deadline they'd ever dealt with. These men, according to my dad, worked day in and day out. But dad worked the hardest. On the days that they refused to work, my dad would pull up his pants, roll up his sleeves, and do everything in his power to get things completed. He worked during thunderstorms, even when the wind blew so hard it nearly knocked him back. He worked while it was sunny, and while the sun's rays were beating down on him so terribly that he nearly passed out from heat exhaustion. He never took a day off. In fact, for the entire year while he was building that mansion he didn't even bother with his business. That's right, he took a long break. Even after trying to talk to that potential client at the theater. All my dad wanted was Ellie. She was all he needed. He wanted to put her first over anything else in his life. So, after months of effort, the mansion was finally complete. The red-bricked wonder of the outskirts of Midnightsville. Strangers who passed by had to do a double-take whenever they saw it. Such a glorious building. There was a fountain at the front that only sprouted the most sparkling of water. Right by the entrance stood two Greek-inspired pillars, one representing my dad, and one representing Ellie. The inside was even more breathtaking. Murals, just like she asked, were painted on the ceiling. The kitchen was fully stocked, down to the food and to the dishes, while the dining room table was already set with the finest dish sets imported from China. The bedrooms were magnificently filled with color, each with its own uniqueness and shade. And, of course, the mansion wouldn't be complete without a balcony at the front and back, that way anyone who wished to look around could do so while also getting a quick breath of fresh air. And, most importantly, he made sure to add a music room. He wanted to be certain that Ellie could have a place where she could practice her songs, and he could listen to her lovely voice again and again. He couldn't wait to see her. He read from the Midnightsville paper that a certain someone would be returning, so he made sure to get his front-row ticket. Like a year earlier, he had dressed up, wearing a nice suit and a bow tie. And when it was time for the curtains to be pulled back...they both froze. When they made eye contact, they both didn't know how to act. My dad's breath was taken away when he saw that Ellie was wearing the same dress he saw her in last-which she had to have done on purpose, he was certain. Ellie was relieved to see him amid the crowd, grateful that she decided not to forget about him. Once the show was over for the night, my dad didn't even have to bother sneaking around the back again. Ellie was already waiting for him.

"You know, when you told me your plans to build a mansion a year ago I didn't think that you were being serious," she said, letting out a small laugh. "I thought you were just trying to impress me, like how all the other guys I've met have."

"Well, you haven't gotten to know me well, Ellie. I am a man who's true to his word."

"So you actually did build it?"

"I did, yes, but unfortunately I wasn't able to get those rare gems for those chandeliers you wanted. I just got diamond chandeliers instead. Is that okay?"

"Hm, that might be a dealbreaker."

She stepped closer to him, allowing him to take her hand and kiss it softly.

"How can I make it up to you then, Ellie?"

"...I don't know, Anthony. You might have to promise me your loyalty for the rest of your life or something. After all, I'd hate to share my husband with another woman."

"The only woman I ever plan on being with is you, and that I can promise with all of my heart."

"I'll take your word for it, then."

They were off into the night before anyone could notice that Ellie had disappeared from the theater. They laughed together while dad sped off on his horse, eager to show her the product he worked so hard on. When Ellie saw it for the first time, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. The actual mansion of her dreams sitting right in front of her eyes. She didn't think that dad would ever consider doing such a thing but...dad was deeply, incredibly in love with her. He couldn't say no to a woman like her. During 1876, they got married, and by 1877 their first daughter-my eldest sister, was born into this world. They named her Emilia. Emilia, like Ellie, had curly blonde hair and blue eyes. She was her mother's copy, with not a single trait of our dad to show on her appearance. Luckily for him, however, their second child-another daughter-looked just like him, with her hair a pin-straight dark brown, as well as dark eyes that resembled the eyes of a doe. Elizabeth was born in 1878. Or Lizzy, as we like to call her. With two daughters that each looked like one of them, it seemed like our family was complete. But Ellie wanted at least one more, and so did our dad. On August 16th, 1880, I was born with a head full of red hair and a fiery attitude. I was the child that made my parents decide to wait on having more kids. I didn't look like my parents at all. My hair is the brightest shade of red-so red that you could spot me ten miles away with the naked eye. My eyes are as green as the Florida swamps-them having little hints of gray. And oh do I have freckles. They're all over my body but mainly clustered around my face. My parents settled on the name Ember for me, and I think it suits me quite well. For a while, it was just the five of us. Ellie took a break from singing for a while to focus on family, while dad spent a lot of time away for business, though he never forgot to send letters. He always wrote one for each of his girls, which made us feel extra special. Ellie did miss him plenty, though. It saddened us to see how hard she dealt with his absence, so we tried our best-as little as we were-to keep her spirits lifted. Dad even had a few men build some stables toward the back of the mansion for us to keep our own horses, which kept us occupied quite often. Other than horseback riding, however, we were taught many other things from Ellie. You might have noticed that I haven't called her mom the entire time I've been talking about her. That's because she told us to refer to her as Ellie, and she's engraved that in our heads from the moment we said our first words. She said for safety reasons she would rather have us call her "Ellie," or her actual name, Eleanor, so that strangers didn't know we were her children. The last thing she wanted was for us to be kidnapped for her money, so we made certain to never call her mom, especially out in public. At home, however, we were okay. Ellie and dad only ever invited their close friends over for parties, especially those held in the music room. Both Ellie and dad taught us how to dance, and dad made sure we knew how to act as proper ladies of the house as well. He wanted to make sure that, when the time came, we would be suitable wives to whoever would marry us. The thought of marriage makes me sick, though. It just seems like a trap to me. But anyway-time flew by and my sisters and I eventually reached the ages of twelve, eleven, and nine. I remember this one day so clearly. It was a rainy day when it happened, and Ellie decided to go into town to see one of her old buddies perform. My dad wanted to go with her but he had business to attend to at home, so he stayed, believing that Ellie would be alright on her own. Later that evening, while it was pouring outside, there were intense knocks at the front doors. I remember sitting on the stairs with my doll as one of our butlers opened them. Lawmen were standing outside. Dad took a break from work to see why they had decided to come visit, especially when a storm was in the middle of brewing outside. I could only make out two words from what the lawmen said that day. But I knew exactly what those two words had meant.

"She's gone."

I couldn't believe it. I refused to believe it. My mother-our mother-was...dead. Just like that. Apparently, a bunch of muggers happened to recognize her and...things got a little too far. One of them shot her in the head. Point-blank. I felt like I couldn't breathe that day. Like the world had suddenly run out of air. But I managed to gather the strength to run upstairs to my sisters and tell them about what happened. They couldn't believe it either. Lizzy was the closest to our mom out of the three of us and she was...so heartbroken that day. I couldn't bear to see her so devastated, so I remember leaving her be to see how my dad was holding up. He was so distraught. I peeked my tiny head through his bedroom door to see him destroying so many furniture items that it looked as if a tornado had ripped through the room. Once he was all tired out, I watched quietly as he fell to his knees, screaming why and asking to switch places with her. His hair-which was usually neat-was all over the place, as well as his clothes. I couldn't blame him. Later that night was quiet. I could barely go to sleep because of how sick I felt. I'm sure the rest of my family could hardly sleep either. I remember that the next morning, as tired as we were, we all made it to the dining room table to see our dad standing by our mother's chair, his eyes looking more weary than they'd ever been.

"...I have made a decision," he said, a shakiness in his voice. "A decision I think your mother would agree with. She died going into a city known for its high crime, and I should've...I should've been there. By her side. I could've prevented her death. But, since I was unable to do so, I will prevent the death of my daughters. You three mean the world to me and her...so from now on, you will no longer be allowed to leave the grounds of the mansion under any circumstance, except for when you are to be married. That means no longer going into that awful city. I refuse to let another death in the family happen because of that place. If you want something from somewhere, I will personally have it shipped to the mansion or I will make the effort to go get it myself. But under no circumstances will any of you step foot away from this mansion, do you understand me?"

"Yes sir," we told him. We didn't know what else to say. Our mansion was our home, yes. It was our safe place. Our haven. But...there was so much more out there than just our mansion, I was certain of it. And, like my dad with his promises, I made a promise to myself for when I was older. I promised myself that, if I were able to ever break free from the mansion, I'd try my best to maintain safety for all of Midnightsville and its people, wealthy or not. This is just the very beginning of my story. Trust me when I say that, from this point forward, things get a whole lot crazier.