The wrong wing was proud of being wrong. Its doors opened onto rooms that changed when you blinked. One minute it held an antique ballroom; the next, a kitchen where soup argued philosophy with the stove. Every misstep turned polite intention into performance—Jules learned to apologize to furniture. Megaboob Manor insisted on hospitality in the most literal sense. The dining room hosted a dinner that would not be served by any polite hostess: the table grew teeth, the chandelier recited limericks, and the soup was jealous of forks. Guests slid into chairs that sighed with secrets and met place cards that answered back with compliments and cruel observations.
