KARMA SERVED HOT

Chapter 8 - Moving in

Lianne (Elara Vale) POV

The car drove out of the parking lot of Vance corporation. We are on my way to my apartment to pack my belongings, and move into Ethan's house when the bodyguard who is driving took a different route, one that doesn't lead to my apartment.

I looked at my surroundings quickly, thinking this road might be a short cut that leads to my house more quickly.

But after few minutes I noticed the road is getting more unfamiliar.

I tapped the driver slightly on the shoulder,

“Excuse me, but this is not the way to my apartment”

“Yes ma'am, we have been instructed to take you to the mansion instead” he replied me, then as if to prevent me from asking any further questions he added,

“Mr Vance's orders ma'am”

“Oh…okay” I nodded and sighed. “what about my belongings” I asked him. “It would have been delivered to the mansion.”

After some minutes, we arrived at a big mansion, the heavy black gates opened automatically as our car approached into a very wide mansion.

A white marble walled mansion stood, towering over the landscape with large glass windows. Lawns which are well trimmed and tended are by the roadside.

I walked into the mansion, under the guidance of the bodyguard, to the elevator which will take me to the main building when to my surprise I met Ethan, waiting, by the elevator.

My heart skipped a beat, I was definitely not expecting him to be here. Didn't I leave him at the company some minutes ago? How did he get here so fast?

I masked my surprised expression quickly and I stepped into the elevator quietly, without saying a word to him, I couldn't. I folded my hands tightly in front of me, trying to suppress my anxiety and stared at the steel walls of the elevator, my backs straight and leveled, not relaxed.

The words that he had whispered into my ear some hours ago lingered, making my nerves unsettled. Even though I had denied it, I knew with everything in me that Ethan Vance won't ask a question he didn't know about or know the answer to. The quiet satisfaction and knowingness which was present in his eyes at the moment when he asked that question had told me that.

Ethan entered the elevator after me and stood beside me, with one hand in his pocket, his posture relaxed unlike mine which is guarded, my back straight. None of us spoke, the ride was silent.

The elevator doors opened with a ding, directly into the main house.

I took a slow deep breath, and stepped out onto the black polished marble that reflected the dim lighting. The entire space was built in such a way that every single part of the house is elegant and exquisite. Large floor-to-ceiling windows which offers an elegant view of the Manhattan sky. The interior of the house was beautiful but quiet almost as if no one lived there. And it was heavily guarded.

I walked into the living room, and my eyes instantly caught the CCTV camera installed in corners of the room. Guards in black suits and glasses stood silently in corners of the hallway like a statue, their stance rigid with stoic not smiling faces, every single breath controlled. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, on the perimeter terrace, another guard paced on a slow patrol.

"Your belongings have been brought from your apartment. It has been unpacked and arranged by the staff," Ethan said, his deep, baritone voice cutting through the heavy silence. I remained silent, and he continued, he e motioned casually with his hands toward the grand staircase which cueved toward the second floor.

“Feel free to visit every aspect of this mansion, the dining, gym, living room are all open to you. However, some areas such as the east wing will remain inaccessible to you”.

I turned to look at him, with a serious expression, trying to ignore the warning chills and goosebumps his instruction gave me.

"This looks like I am being held as your prisoner instead of a wife. Which one am I to you Ethan?"

"You are my wife," he replied slowly, unbothered as he took off his suit jacket and layed it over the back of a sofa. “And right from the moment you signed that contract, your wellbeing and safety already became my responsibility” he continued

“This mansion is armed with several security safe measures. You are very safe inside this walls than anywhere else on earth. But to ensure that safety, you do not leave this penthouse without being escorted by a guard of mine."

" What do you mean protection? Who exactly are you protecting me from?" I demanded, with a raised eyebrow.

"I am protecting you from everything and everyone, Elara." He said stepping closer to me, his dark brown iris almost turning black under the dim lighting.

The fact that he is calling me by my fake name made me realize that he is really serious about this.

A middle-aged woman wearing a white butler uniform came out of the kitchen holding with her a set of room keycards. She came to us and bowed slightly

“Welcome home, Mrs Vance and Mr Vance" then she faced Ethan “her belongings has been taken into the master suite per your request sir”.

I froze and clenched my fists tightly. I turned to look at him and I scoffed

" We had an agreement Ethan, and I clearly remember that I indicated separate quarters, no intimacy whatsoever” The air in the room shifted, turning heavy and suffocating.

The butler bowed again and withdrew back quitely into the kitchen with practised precision, giving us the space needed for us to talk.

Ethan looked at me calmly, not even in the slightest bit flustered. "I never said there would be intimacy, but if that's what you want I can make room for you" he said with a smile.

He walked toward the staircase, his back to me, gesturing to me with a wave of his hands to follow him

"Come, let me show you to the master suite"

"I am not moving any inch from here until you give me an explanation on why my belongings are in your room" I answered him sharply my heart beating against my ribcage in slow heavy thuds.

His movements stopped and he sighed as if I am a kid who is just a tantrum, then he turned around to face me, his broad shoulders blocked the light which was illuminated behind him, casting a dark shadow over me.

"Indeed you stated it in the contract Elara, but you seem to forget that you are no longer in a lonely world, you have stepped into my world which is always heavily guarded” he continued his voice low

“Know this Elara, in this world of mine, I have enemies, and there are ears and eyes” he paused slightly, sizing up my reaction “who are always waiting to see any little drift, any tiny opening to turn everything around"

“If we sleep in separate quarters for 24 hours, they would find out that this marriage of ours is just mutual. And you surely don't want your plan to be disrupted before it can even start do you?”

"Staying in the same suite does not mean we have to share a bed," I managed to say, forcing my chin up, a blush rising up from my neck to my ears. He didn't say anything, he just nodded, turned and continued walking.

We arrived at the master suite, however before I could stop to admire how beautiful or big it is, a sharp, click sound rang out within the room.

I flinched, and turned my head toward the door, my eyes went wide. The door has been locked automatically.

“What is the meaning of this Ethan” I asked him.