Chapter 19 A means to an end.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A means to an end.
SCARLETT – POINT OF VIEW
I get out of the car and gush, “This is not a home, Roman. It’s a mansion.”
He smiles, pleased with himself.
“It is one of my many houses in the state of New York.” He boasts, feeling a wonderful sense of satisfaction.
“Let me give you a tour of your new home.” He reaches for me and easily intertwines our hands.
Heat flushes through me as warmth runs down my spine at the contact.
Before we can move, the sound of a car fills the air. I turn around to see Caleb driving in. I slip away from Roman and walk towards the car. Rick helps Eve out smoothly, and she rushes towards me. We meet halfway and hug each other.
“Oh my God, Scar. You are so rich.” She giggles, throwing her arm across my shoulder.
I chuckle, “Roman is rich, not me.”
“Technically, you are, too.” She reminds me with a tilt of her head, and I roll my eyes.
“The tour.” Roman states, and I glance at him. He is on his phone and very impatient.
Together, the five of us walk ahead, and he begins the tour. He shows us the motor court and the private garage that houses about seven cars. There’s a rear terrace overlooking the lawn and water. There’s an infinity pool, poolside loungers, an outdoor fireplace, and a covered outdoor dining area.
Then, we walk in. There’s a double-height foyer with stone floors and a curved staircase. A formal sitting and a dining room that seats at least twelve people.
We move to the entertainment area. There’s a family room with floor-to-ceiling windows. A library with a fireplace and built-in shelves. A private study for him. A music room where a large piano sits.
I glance at him, “You play?”
“No.” His answer is clipped.
There’s a home theatre, a game room, a bar lounge and a wine cellar. The kitchen area is large, with a walk-in pantry and a breakfast nook overlooking the garden. I stand there awkwardly for a moment because I hate cooking.
Growing up, my mom desperately tried to instil the act in me, but I rebelled against it. I knew the only reason she was teaching me how to cook was because of our image and a future husband.
Finally, we move upstairs to the bedrooms.
“This is mine.” He gestures at a closed door, then leads us to the room across, my bedroom. I am glad we don’t have to share a bedroom because that would be my thirteenth reason.
My bedroom is oversized with a sitting area. There’s a private terrace, a walk-in closet, a spa-style bathroom and a reading area.
“There are multiple en suite guest rooms, a certain bedroom you must avoid in the other part of the house.” He tells me coldly, all the previous warmth in his voice long gone.
I frown, glance at Eve, but say nothing. He is allowed to do whatever he wants, except have a fucking mistress in the house.
“Moving on,” He murmurs, and we move further in the house.
There’s an indoor gym and a steam room.
“Below, there is a private vault, archives, storage and other things you shouldn’t bother yourself with. Let me give you a rundown of the grounds.” He urges, and I follow him outside.
The house sits above the river, not beside it. It sits back on a rise so the water and mountains feel owned, not approached. The land slopes gently downward, guiding the eye toward the Hudson and the dark outlines of the Palisades across the way. This is pure luxury and an astonishing amount of wealth.
Sunsets stretch long over the river, and light hits the house last, leaves first.
I glance at the water with a deep sigh. I am unattainable here. No one can get to me.
“I have something for you.” He leads me to his study. It smells like him.
On the desk is a box. He opens it and gives me the brand new phone.
“This is yours. We have to have a social media presence; it is mandatory, Scarlett. I’ll leave you to create one and post something. You can make it private later, but for now, make it known. I want everyone to see that I am stable and responsible. The private event is in a week, so enough time for us to be acquainted and ready. I have input my personal and business lines, so you can reach me at any time.” He expresses a certain fondness in his voice, but I will not fall for it.
“Alright.” I shrug, unbothered.
He places a card before me. “There’s no limit on it, but try not spend above budget.”
“Okay.” I nod, glancing out the window. He has a wonderful home, and according to him, it is one of his many properties. If only.
“Anything else? I have to go.” He asks.
I turn to him with a frown. “You’re leaving?”
He clenches his jaw, “Yes, Scarlett. I have to get to work.”
“You can’t skip it?” I mumble, not particularly happy to be all alone in this big house.
“One of my hotels in Boston has an issue, and they need my presence.” He says evenly, and glances at his Patek.
A knot rises in my throat, and I nod, chest caving in. This is what I signed up for. It is business, not a friendship, and he is a busy man.
“Can we take a picture before you leave? I need to set up the social media pages.” I articulate calmly.
“Alright, give me a second.” He nods.
I walk away, “We’ll be in the garden.”
I take cautious steps as I walk to the living room. Eve is taking pictures with her camera. Rick and Caleb are speaking about something while gesturing to the driveway.
“Hey.” Eve walks to me, camera in hand.
“Can you take some professional pictures of us? We need to subtly launch our relationship and announce our engagement. He’s leaving, so we need to do it now.” I explain coldly.
She frowns, about to say something, but Roman walks out, ready and impatient.
“Alright. The garden has perfect scenery.” She nods.
We walk to his perfect garden. It looks like it came out of a book. The white roses look like a happy ending. My heart aches sweetly, and I want to lie there.
Roman walks to me and wraps his strong arm around my waist. Eve gives some instructions, and we follow her directions. I try not to tremble as he holds me, as if he owns me. I try not to let it get to my head.
This is business. We are not in love. We can never be in love.
He is just a means to an end.