The academy's east gardens were a fucking fever dream.
Phei had lived in Paradise for ten years and he still couldn't wrap his head around the sheer audacity of wealth on display here.
A manicured forest—an actual goddamn forest, professionally maintained, every tree pruned to artistic perfection—sprawling behind the main building like nature had been hired as interior decorator and given an unlimited budget.
And nestled in the heart of it, down a winding stone path that probably cost more than a small country's GDP, sat the fire pit lounge.
Circular stone seating curved around a central fireplace that burned year-round because why the fuck not.
Warm amber lighting embedded in the stonework cast everything in that golden-hour glow that made Instagram influencers weep with envy. Plush cushions scattered across the benches. A canopy of carefully curated trees overhead, filtering the afternoon light into something almost magical.
