I Love Her Anyway

Chapter 7

Walking into his mansion felt like an absolute dream. It was like entering Hogwarts or Disney, a gorgeous castle-like building with a stunning estate full of refined foliage and stone statues. As you enter, two puppies race up to you and eagerly hop up on your legs and begin to lick at your hands. You laugh and squint your eyes to make out a small Jack Russel and a Boston terrier. Brendon introduces you to them as Bogart and Pennylane before he ushers you farther into the house, walking you past the brilliant paintings, tapestries, and decorations. Sure enough, there’s chandeliers that dangle from the ceiling, marble floor and pillars, golden trimming, as well as a gigantic aquarium filled with a variety of multicolored fish. Brendon interlocks his fingers with you as he takes your hand, guiding you farther into his home, your mind spinning at your surroundings. He lays you down onto a Victorian fainting couch and sets down the box and bags before embracing you, pressing a soft kiss to your lips.

               “So what do you think?” he smiles.

               “I’m absolutely amazed,” you admit. “This is insane.”

               “I thought you might like it,” he chuckles. “Now come on, I want to see your reaction to these gifts.”

               You can’t help but blush as he places the box into your hands and you unwrap the ball gown from the packaging, your eyes sparkling. “It’s gorgeous!” you gush, standing up and lifting it towards your frame, doing a small spin and giggling. “Oh my god, I love it! And it’s just my size!”

               “Come on, you have more goodies too,” he reminds.

               You set down the dress carefully and then reach for the bags, pulling out the lingerie one at a time. The look on your face makes him smirk, and you can’t help but become breathless at the thought of being sprawled out on his mattress wearing nothing but these small pieces of lace. “Thank you,” you whisper as you pull out the last one. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

               “Thank you, darling,” he beams. “I expect you to start wearing them to work from now on when you get a chance.”

               “Of course,” you nod happily. “I would love to.”

               “Now come on,” he takes you by the hand and guides you towards the kitchen. “Let’s have a drink.”

               Both of you curl up on a loveseat on the porch outside admiring the view of a lake, a tennis court, a golf course, and a fire pit. He has plenty of hammocks and armchairs, along with a bar counter and stools, as well as a small gathering space adorned with fairy lights and lanterns. “Are you the only one who lives here?” you dare to ask, leaning your head on his chest as he takes a swig of beer. He’s poured you a glass of virgin sangria, but you’ve only taken a couple sips.

               “I have several butlers and maids, as well as a handful of chefs,” he replies. “Other than visitors though, it is just me.”

               “Wow,” you murmur to yourself. You can’t imagine only one person living on such a huge property. You’re starting to wonder if maybe he’s not even a millionaire, but a billionaire. You make a mental note to look up his net worth when you get home. This all feels surreal.

               “But I worked hard to get here, don’t get me wrong,” he says. “My father helped me, but I put in plenty of hard work and effort myself. School was hard trying to work and educate myself at the same time, but it paid off beyond what I could ever imagine.”