Chapter 11 – The Family House
LYNN
I was still processing their offer when Ethan’s father spoke.
“Come, we’ll show you to your room, Theodore said, and just like that, we were swept inside.
The grand foyer was every bit as
intimidating as the outside. High ceilings, chandeliers, marble floors that gleamed under the soft lighting, and portraits of people I assumed were long–dead relatives. who had built the legacy that now belonged to Ethan’s family.
Theodore led us up the stairs, and I glanced at Ethan, trying to gauge his feelings. His face was unreadable, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw tightened.
The family’s personal quarters were upstairs, and when we reached a door at
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11- The Family House
the end of a long corridor, Theodore stopped and opened it without hesitation. The room was large and opulent, the kind of room you’d see in a movie–luxurious bedding, thick velvet curtains, and a view that overlooked the entire estate.
“This will be your room,” Theodore said, his voice firm and final as he stepped inside, gesturing to the space. “Since you‘ re married, we expect you two to stay together.
I froze. Stay together? In the same room? The thought hit me like a ton of bricks. I glanced at Ethan, unsure of how to react. Ethan didn’t flinch, but there was a
tightness around his eyes that said he was just as unsettled by this development as I
was.
Barbara stepped forward, smiling that same thin, practiced smile. “It’s important to us that you two have time to really settle in together. We want to be sure that this marriage is genuine, not just a
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business arrangement.
I could feel the heat rise in my chest. “So, you‘ re making us live here for the next. few months to ‘prove‘ this is real?” I
asked, my voice coming out sharper than I intended.
Theodore didn’t back down. “We‘ 11 be
keeping a close eye on you both, of course. This is important. Not just for the company, but for the family.” His eyes. flicked to Ethan before returning to me. “Ethan‘ s future depends on this. So you’ll stay here. Together.”
The room felt smaller now, the air thick with the weight of their expectations. I nodded stiffly, though a knot was forming in my stomach. I didn’t want to be here. I didn’t want to live under their watch, even if it was for the sake of a marriage that was supposed to be a business
arrangement.
“We’ll leave you to get settled,” Barbara said, her smile tight but not unkind. “The
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Family House
maids will bring your things shortly.”
They turned to leave, but before they exited, Theodore paused. “Oh, one more thing. You two will share this room. It‘ s non–negotiable. Let us know if you need anything else.”
And then, just like that, they were gone.
I turned to Ethan, my frustration barely contained. “This wasn‘ t part of the plan,” I said, my voice low but firm. “I didn’t think I’d be moving in with your parents. And I definitely didn’t think they’d expect us to live in the same room.”
Ethan let out a long breath. He walked over to the window, looking out at the garden below. “I know. But we have to make them believe this marriage is real. They can’t know the truth. They need to think we‘ re happy together.”
“And how are we supposed to pull that off?” I asked, trying to keep the sarcasm
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out of my voice. “I barely know you, Ethan. We’re still strangers in many ways.”
He didn’t look at me, but I could hear the resolve in his voice. “We’ll figure it out. They’ll be watching us closely, but we need to show them we‘ re committed. That this marriage is not just for show.”
I glanced around the room, trying to take everything in. It was beautiful, sure. But it felt like a gilded cage, and I wasn’t sure how I’d survive under the constant scrutiny.
A thought occurred to me. I hadn‘ teven packed clothes for this. “What am I supposed to do when I shower?” I asked, gesturing to the bathroom. “There’s no extra set of clothes. How are we supposed to live like this?”
Ethan looked flustered for the first time
since we‘ d arrived. His face turned a shade of pink I wasn’t used to seeing.
“Oh, right. Well…” He scratched the back.
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of his neck, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. “I guess… we’ll figure that out too. There are maids here. They can help with… stuff.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. It was a nervous. laugh, but it still slipped out. “We‘ re
really doing this, aren’t we?” I muttered under my breath.
Ethan met my gaze and nodded, his expression softening just a little. “Yeah. We are. And we’ll make it work.”
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