Chapter 2
Reese's POV
Roman was right. The funeral demanded much of my strength, both mentally and physically. It happened on an afternoon that was as dull as my life had become since the passing of my mother, Rosa Beaumont. Tears flowed freely from my eyes, made easy by the unbearable ache in my chest at a loss that I would forever regret. And I wasn't the only one that felt that way.
The number of people that turned up at the funeral was surprising. And despite Roman's efforts, the media found a way to be present and cover whatever they could, whenever they managed to beat the watchful security personnel that had been hired for the occasion.
During the whole process, I could barely pay attention to anything other than the grief that constricted my chest. So many people came over to offer their condolences that I eventually started to tune them out. And every time that happened, my eyes found him. That was a recurring theme throughout the funeral. I hated it, yet I was helpless against it. By the time we were ready to leave, two hours later, I'd stolen enough glances at him to last a lifetime.
The drive back to the house was marked by silence. A tiny sense of relief coursed through me as we entered the house. My eyes were swollen from tears and I was eager to go up to my room and spend as much time as possible in isolation.
Roman's voice stopped me just before I could hurry away. "I want you to join me in the library," he said, his voice firm with authority.
I stopped and turned. "No, thank you," I said bluntly. "I'm heading to my room and I won't tolerate any disturbance."
His expression remained blank. "It's about the will. I'll be waiting."
He turned and walked away.
For a moment, I was going to defy him. Show him that he had no say over my life. But then I saw my mother. Heard her soothing voice urging me to comply. Even in death, she still influenced my life. How lucky for Roman.
I met him standing by one of the bookshelves in the large library. The fact that he could manage to be insanely hot while having such an unlikeable personality made my heart heavy with hate for him. He wore a plain expression, his eyes betraying no emotion. He was like a solid, impenetrable wall. How I wish there was a way I could make him tick. Get under his skin and set him off the way he usually did to me.
"Let's get this over with," I said as I stepped into the vaguely familiar space of the library. Everything was books, shelves and velvet curtains. Again, the scent of lilies rented the air. My mother loved them so much that they could have been regarded as her children. Along with the lilies, the thick scent of old papers tickled my nose.
Roman moved towards the mahogany desk in one corner of the library and settled carefully onto the tall leather chair behind it. I watched keenly as he retrieved a thick, cream envelope from one of the drawers in the desk.
"Have your seat." He gestured towards the empty chairs close to the desk.
"I'd rather stand." I crossed my arms, making sure he could sense my impatience as I held his gaze. I found it a little disconcerting that I couldn't get the slightest hint of what was going on in his mind.
"Suit yourself," he said as he lowered his gaze to the envelope. "As you know, I am the executor of Rosa's will..." With a pen knife that he produced from nowhere, he cut the seal of the envelope open. Then he took a folded piece of paper out of it. My eyes followed the paper as he slid it towards the edge of the desk.
He lifted his gaze to me. "As expected, the trust, the house in Paris, the liquid assets... they all go to you. And this house-"
"I don't want it," I interrupted. "Do whatever you wish with it."
"...will remain in my possession," he finished, ignoring my interruption.
I was stunned. Even though I wanted nothing to do with the house, finding out that my mother didn't even deem it fit to pass its ownership to me stung badly. It felt like betrayal.
For a brief second, I saw a faint flicker in Roman's eyes. Satisfaction. I clenched my jaw. I'd had enough.
"Take the fucking house. I don't care. Just lemme know what else is left so I can be out of here tomorrow."
A smile tugged at the corner of Roman's lips. It was a wicked one. "You're not going anywhere."
My anger rose a notch. "Says who? You? In case it didn't occur to you, you're nothing, aside from being the guy my mother wasted her time getting married to."
If my words had any effect on him, it was unnoticeable. He remained perfectly calm as he spoke. "Says this." He tapped his index finger repeatedly on the paper that contained my mother's will. The smile on his face sent chills to my bones.
"What the hell do you mean?" I rushed over to the desk and snatched the paper from it. My heart sank as I read through it. My inheritance had come with a strict stipulation. I had to wait around the house until the whole estate was settled. That was going to take months and I was not to leave the house for more than forty-eight hours within that period of time. Or my inheritance would he forfeited.
Face twisting in horror, I lifted my gaze to Roman's own. "This is insane. She can't do this," I said in dismay.
"But she did. Rosa knew how rebellious you could be. And she also knew the right fix for it."
I let my gaze drop to the paper again. I read its content for the second time, a small part of me hoping that it would be different from what I'd read earlier. But it was still the same. Even from the grave, she'd kept me in a cage. With what she'd stated in her will, she'd denied me the one thing I needed the most-my freedom.
Sudden, white hot anger burned through me. "You bastard!" I growled at Roman. "You put her up to this. You just can't stand the fact that I hate you and I can't tolerate your existence so you manipulated her into doing this."
Roman kept his cool. "I didn't have to make her do anything. She knew what needed to be done."
"I hate you," I said, my voice cracking.
He rose from the chair slowly. A brief smile cut across his face before it was replaced by his usual bland look. "I know. Now go get changed. Dinner is at seven. Don't be late."
