Chapter 29

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The two women who had exited before James motioned for me to follow them in through the massive double doors. I almost didn't, but my curiosity got the better of me. We stepped through into something only made from the movies, James right behind me.

The ceiling stood high, so high that columns ran towards the absolutely gorgeous mural that was painted across the entirety of the ceiling. You could see the second floor that circled around this main area and then closed off to any more upper levels. Beautiful fountains were on my left and right, stunning sculptures of mythical creatures from any fantasy story you might find. The floor was so clean, I could see a distorted reflection of myself. Doors littered the walls, underneath the exposed second floor walkway.

One wide staircase with a scarlett carpeting rose towards the second floor, hiding a sculpture of some Greek God behind it and a long hallway. I stopped, in awe of the beauty that surrounded me. The whites, blues, golds, purples, and bright colors seemed odd for a Mafia mansion but I admired the intricacy of it all.

"If you follow the maids upstairs, they'll take you to your room. Kitchen is down here to your right through the double doors. There's libraries, pools, gym, theater room, lounge room, really anything you would want and you're welcome to go anywhere you see fit." James said to me with a smile. I stared at him for one more moment before turning and stiffly walking away. I didn't need him or anyone knowing how much I was in love with this place.

The two women slowly ascended the grand staircase and then turned left, following the walkway around. Windows littered the wall, letting in so much natural light that the white decor practically sparkled. Beautiful oil paintings were neatly spaced between each window and I took my time walking past, studying the intimate details of each.

The windows faded out and the doors began, three I passed before they stopped and turned the golden handle on the fourth. Pushing the door open, I stepped inside and smiled at the grandeur. One large window with a beautiful window seat stretched in front of me, straight across from the door. The window frame was trimmed with the same gold detailing as the rest of the place, with a dark purple window seat below it. Cushions on both sides made me actually excited to read a book there.

To the left was another room, with a four poster bed. The golden inlay of the posts matched the etchings of the window frame, complete with a dark purple bedding that looked comfier than anything I'd ever seen before. I walked quickly over to the bed, kicked off my shoes on the rug that lay beneath it and jumped onto it.

I was right. I had never laid on something as comfortable as this bed. The eyes of the two maids widened with my actions, and then soft smiles filled their faces. Another window was to my right now in this room, with a door to the left. The older looking woman, with graying hair and kind eyes walked over and opened the door as she saw me eyeing it, to reveal an enormous closet.

I slid off of the bed and padded over to the doorway, too stunned to speak. "Boss had clothes, jewelry, and shoes put in here for you. Anything in here is for you to use and wear." She spoke softly, a little shaky to her voice and I slowly nodded. Along the right side of the closet was a wall full of glittering necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Straight across were rows and rows of shoes while to the left was a long rung of clothes that apparently moved as the younger maid with dark hair and bright blue eyes pushed the button.

My mouth dropped open in awe and I felt like I was dreaming. Maybe this wasn't all that bad. I was more of a spoiled prisoner and at least had a room to call my own. Stepping back out of the closet in a little shock, I wandered back out to the main room where two couches faced a coffee table in the middle.

Tilting my head, I walked over to the glass table and examined the contents. A beautiful bouquet of pale purple and white peonies sat in the very center in a white vase with gold accents. Next to the vase was a single book, the cover a little tattered and worn. I bent down and picked it up, the strong smell of the beautiful flowers and book pages crashed over my face.

It was Pride and Prejudice, and I couldn't help but smile. This had to be Oliver's doing. He remembered and a small part of me started to forgive him for how he had left. I took a deep breath, and put the book back down. A door opposite of the bedroom portion now drew my attention and I slowly walked around the couch and over towards the door.

Passing a beautiful small bookcase against the wall that the exit to the hallway shared, I turned the gold knob to find the bathroom. It was immense, a circular tub in the far left corner in between floor to ceiling glass panes. A small garden of peonies was the view. A gorgeous view. Before the bathtub was a long rack of towels and empty counter space. To my right was a small door that opened to the toilet.

Next to the toilet was the shower, glass as the door. It was set into beautiful marble tile walls and there weren't just two regular shower heads, but some from the ceiling as well as the sides with a control panel. Straight across was the largest mirror I had ever seen with a double vanity below. The lighting was truly perfect, adding the perfect shadowing to my complexion as I stepped towards the mirror.

"Boss added all your toiletries in those drawers and behind the mirror." The older maid said to me, startling me for just a moment.

Turning to face the two ladies I smiled. "Thank you. What are your names?" I asked, finally feeling able to speak.

"I'm Maria and this is my daughter Rose." The older lady answered. "We will leave you now to settle in. If you need anything just holler into the hall. We will be here." They bowed and left the bathroom. It felt a little foreign to be speaking in Italian to almost everyone, but this was their home and I could try and assimilate until I found a way to escape and go home. Though part of me was enjoying the luxury of being here.

I spent the next hour or so wandering just the second floor of the castle. James had been right. I had entered three different massive libraries and a theater room. I'd discovered another set of stairs leading upwards after wandering down a hallway and past several more rooms that looked to be studies and offices.

Everything in this mansion was incredibly delicate and well designed. I was stunned with the beauty and enormity of it all having not even left the second floor. Deciding I would wander the third floor later, I made my way back down the stairs and slowly went from room to room on the first floor. A couple of the doors were locked along the left side of the floor, which also housed two different ways to get outside.

I stood in those doorways for who knows how long, looking at the exquisite landscaping. Fountains and flowers created a gorgeous walkway with trees and bushes casting a subtle overhang. Eventually I made my way back into the castle and felt my stomach grumble.

To the kitchen it was and walked towards the double doors that James had mentioned. Pushing open one, I found myself not in a kitchen, but a massive dining hall. The chandelier sparkled overhead, spiraling down and casting a beautiful glow across the room. I walked towards the long rectangular table and ran my hand across the dark, hand carved wooden chairs.

A white tablecloth with gold inlays sat across the table itself and I stared at the design. Suddenly a door to the far end on my left opened and a man walked in carrying utensils and two plates. China plates with gold and white held food already, steaming roasted potatoes with some vegetables and a piece of brisket.

My mouth began to immediately water and I sat down in the seat I had been standing in front of. The server placed the plate and utensils down as a second man came out with a glass of wine. Once the food and drink were sitting in front of me, they both bowed and then quickly exited the dining room.

I remained frozen in awe, with half of me wanting to know how they knew I was in here while the other half just wanted to dive into the food. The latter half won and I found myself shoveling the most delicious subsistence into my mouth. As I emptied my plate, I was grateful this wasn't an American sized portion of food. Not having eaten much for however long I was held captive had caused my stomach to shrink, and I was full quicker than usual.

The servers eventually came and gathered my plate, and I leaned against the back of my chair for a moment, smiling at them in gratitude. I was extremely satisfied so I finally pushed the chair back and walked towards the exit. Any feeling of terror or fear had slowly dissapated except for the small flutter of nerves for Lily.

I was being treated like a princess here but Lily may still be stuck back in that horrible room. As I reached the door to exit, I heard a sound. A voice that filled me with both a rush of excitement and rage. Pausing, I pressed my ear against the door and shuddered as the deep voice resonated once more into my ears.

Oliver.

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