One of my favorite places at Mirror Estate isn’t the mansion, the lake, or even the tunnels.
It’s the chapel.
From the beginning, I knew Mirror Estate needed to be more than a grand estate. I wanted it to feel like a place where people lived, worked, learned, worshipped, and served others. A place that functioned as a community rather than simply a family residence.
That’s where the chapel came in.
The inspiration traces back to a school campus I visited in Hong Kong years ago. What struck me wasn’t just the school itself, but how everything worked together. The school, chapel, orphanage, and the religious sisters who served there all shared the same grounds. Faith wasn’t separated from daily life. It was woven into the community.
That memory stayed with me.
When I began building the world of Mirror Estate, I found myself returning to that image. Over time, the estate grew beyond the main house. A chapel became part of the grounds, followed by a rectory that housed the priests, religious sisters, and visiting clergy who served the community. The orphanage followed, and eventually plans emerged for a school dedicated to serving underprivileged children.
The rectory itself was designed with both fellowship and practicality in mind. A shared common area provided space for meals and gatherings, while separate wings accommodated the clergy and religious sisters. Today, it primarily serves the parish pastor, assistant pastor, and occasional visiting clergy, but it remains an important part of the estate’s history.
The chapel became the spiritual heart of the estate.
Throughout the series, it has served as a place of prayer, reflection, celebration, and healing. Some characters arrive there seeking answers. Others come searching for peace. Still others discover that faith often grows strongest during life’s most difficult moments.
Together, the chapel, rectory, orphanage, and school helped transform Mirror Estate into something larger than a private residence. They reflected the values that shaped the Marino family for generations: faith, service, education, and care for those in need.
For readers of the series, the chapel is also closely connected to Fr, Phil, one of the most beloved recurring characters. His presence reminds us that while mysteries, danger, and suspense may drive the plot, faith remains at the heart of the story.
Like many places at Mirror Estate, the chapel holds memories.
Some joyful. Some painful. Some still waiting to be revealed.
And while the estate has changed over the years, the chapel remains a quiet reminder of the values upon which it was built: faith, service, compassion, and hope.