Chapter 13
Kimberley
What an incredibly beautiful house. In the basement there’s a home theater—thanks to the high ceilings—and a private pool, though he doesn’t seem to use it much right now.
At least, there were no fresh towels, shower gel, or shampoo by the showers.
The library must hold several thousand books: literature from different countries and plenty of thick volumes on natural medicine, mythology, and physics.
There’s even a small section of children’s books that Rosie surely enjoys.
I love when children are taught from an early age that their imagination is more valuable than just being washed over by TV shows or movies.
I peeked into several rooms but finally decided to take a long bath and then go straight to bed. That way, I could still chat with Chloe a bit—though I haven’t told her about my little detour yet. She really should be the first to know about all this, but I haven’t even told my parents.
I want to figure this out on my own.
And afterward, I can talk to her and to my family abo01ut everything.
Now I’m sitting in my new bed, surrounded by the softest pillows I’ve ever01 had the pleasure of cuddling with.
Even though the whole room has a very minimalist design, there are so many details to discover.
I especially love the balcony overlooking the garden.
The artistic molding on the ceiling and walls invites daydreaming, and with the sheer fabric draped around the four-poster bed, I feel like a princess.
Did he have this room prepared just for me?
Everything seems so new and so carefully thought out.
That night, I sleep as if on a soft, cozy cloud. I wake up ten minutes before my alarm and enjoy the sunbeams sneaking through the curtains. In daylight, I can admire the garden and the magnificent flower-covered balcony even more. What a splendid view…
I savor the moment, then head to the bathroom.
After a long shower and my morning ritual, I open the door to the walk-in closet.
Door open—boom! Walk-in closet. Door closed—bam.
Nothing to see. Door open again—zap! Clothes everywhere.
I play around with it a bit like a child before finally picking out something stylish: a black pleated skirt and a dark blue blouse.
I pin my hair up. To match: pearl earrings and a gold bracelet.
Simple but elegant. I’ll only put on the black heels when we leave; for now, the comfy plush slippers will do while I prepare breakfast in the kitchen.
And I’ve thought of something special for him. Instead of boiled eggs, I’ll surprise him with a sweet breakfast that not only tastes delicious but also looks beautiful.
I decide on scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
These sweet pastries go perfectly with a classic breakfast. I also make oatmeal with honey and the leftover berries from last night—I found some in the fridge.
Personally, I think crumpets are a must too.
Those fluffy, soft, thick pancakes, lightly toasted until crisp, then served with honey or jam.
For drinks, I prepare tea, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and coffee. Just as I’m finishing and taking the crumpets off the pan—I’ve already heard him moving around upstairs—he comes down and peeks into the kitchen with surprise.
“I could have sworn there’d only be boiled eggs.”
Gabriel looks amazed when he sees how prettily I’ve set the table. Flowers and leaves from the garden decorate it. I think for a special occasion like our first breakfast together, it’s okay to go a little overboard.
“Good morning. Did you sleep well?” he asks as he slowly approaches while I place the crumpets on the table.
“Good morning. Yes, and you?” I giggle. "There are no eggs, at least not boiled ones. But I've used them in other ways."
“Now there’s just one problem.” Gabriel gives me an apologetic look. “I hate sweets in the morning.”
My jaw literally drops. I stare at him, frozen, immediately questioning my decision to work for him.
“Just kidding.”
“You’re such a…”
Too bad I don’t have a wooden spoon in hand to smack him with. Gabriel laughs—and it’s contagious. He even pulls out a chair for me. What a gentleman.
“I had to do that.”
No, he really didn’t. But it’s kind of cute when he’s that sassy. Hard to believe I can sleep under the same roof as a man like him without ending up in his arms. Mischievous or not, he’s still a true gentleman. The woman he falls in love with will be very lucky—he’ll spoil her in every sense.
For a moment, I regret falling asleep that night. At least that way I could have enjoyed a hot night with him. But nothing will ever happen between us now. If things continue this way, we’ll have a solid friendship. Nothing more. There will never be anything more.
We eat together and then drive to the company, where he explains everything I need to know. It’s actually pretty simple. I just need to get used to the different apps and figure out the best way to structure his day so he can work in peace.
While Gabriel makes important phone calls, I take care of small matters.
This includes, among other things, taking his suits to the dry cleaner’s and picking up those he dropped off the week before.
One of his drivers—Matthias—drives me today, so I can hang Gabriel's suits directly in his closet.
I enter the mansion with four suits in protective covers, complete with pants, go upstairs and enter his bedroom for the first time.
While Gabriel’s handling important phone calls, I take care of the smaller stuff.
That includes dropping off his suits at the dry cleaner’s and picking up the ones he left there last week.
One of his drivers—Matthias—is driving me today, so I can hang Gabriel’s suits right in his closet.
I walk into the mansion with four suits in garment bags, pants included, head upstairs, and step into his bedroom for the first time.
Curiously, I let my gaze wander around the dark room: black walls, gold molding, furniture, and modern designer figures also in black with golden accents.
A complete contrast to the rest of the house, which is bright and mostly white.
I try to open the closet, but the door is locked.
Didn’t he say I could just hang the clothes inside?
Why on earth is it locked? I sigh and carefully set the suits on his bed so I can try again. But the door doesn’t budge. Stuck?
I tug a bit harder—nothing. I twist the handle—still nothing.
Damn it, what’s going on? Another game or test?
Does he want to see if I’ll call and bother him over something so trivial?
That could be it. My former boss was always making up things just to drive me crazy.
He never fully trusted me, which led to constant arguments.
I sincerely hope Gabriel isn’t like that, because I have zero interest in endless games.
“Oh, come on. Why won’t this stupid closet open?” I curse under my breath. Especially since the driver is waiting downstairs. I was supposed to be back in a minute.
I glance around and open a few drawers until I find a golden key resting on a black book in his nightstand. Heaven help him if he accuses me of snooping around in here later – he'll have another thing coming.
I try the key and, who would’ve guessed? It fits. I sigh softly, open the door, and… see something I shouldn’t. Mouth open, eyes wide, I stare at toys clearly meant for adults only: chains, restraints, and other items I’ve never even imagined.
“Oh, fuck.”
There’s no other way to put it. Panicking, I close the door and put the key back in the drawer as if I’d never touched it. Okay. That explains why the door was locked. Definitely not the closet.
Nervously, I look around some more and find another door.
This one opens immediately, revealing a walk-in closet even bigger than in my bedroom.
Shoes, ties, and watches are stored in wide, deep drawers, organized by color and occasion.
The suits hang on a clothing rack, letting me hang up the ones I picked out.
Job done. A little sweaty, a little panicked—but done. Now I just need to forget what I saw and get back to Matthias. Fast.
During the drive back, I can’t stop thinking about that cabinet. About what I saw. He doesn’t have access to it in his apartment—but he does at his mansion. Does he invite other women over for these “special games”?
Images immediately pop into my head, and I try to push them away.
Stay calm, Kim. Don’t think about what he looks like naked.
Too late.
Don’t think about how he uses those things.
Also too late.
Or how he’d use them with you…
I shake myself. Unicorn. Unicorn. I need to think about a damn unicorn! Glitter. Pink. Clouds.
Yes, that’s better.
No. Actually, not. Total mess.
I’m not getting these images out of my head anytime soon.
In the afternoon, I’m in the kitchen with Sally. She’s still nervously fidgeting, which is probably just her personality. I won’t mention it—I'll accept her as she is. If I stay calm, maybe she’ll relax too over time.
“And what exactly are your duties?” she asks, adding, “I mean, I just screen all the calls, take care of emails, make coffee, and take care of visitors.”
“Oh, it’s quite a lot,” I begin. “For starters, I manage the calendar and appointments. I plan, organize, and coordinate all of Gabriel’s meetings, conferences, and events.
I also make sure he’s prepared for every situation.
If appointments overlap, I prioritize. I research, discuss with him, and make decisions when needed. ”
“Oh, that sounds exciting,” she murmurs, blowing on her tea to cool. I stir mine, enjoying the little clink of the spoon against the cup.