A Pearl In The Oyster ☑️

9. Le premier matin - The First Morning

An unnecessary drilling sound invaded my deep sleep, giving me discomfort. Wanting to shut out the noise, I pressed my pillow on my ears. It had no effect whatsoever, and I had to wake up in frustration. Checking my phone, I confirmed it was still seven in the morning.

Switching off the blaring alarm, I carefully placed my phone back on the pricey bedside table. An alarm blaring off on a Sunday should be listed as felony, but there were things needed to be done.

Taking a deep breath, I felt all my laziness escape through my lungs. Tying my hair in a messy bun, I wore my blue pajama shirt back, and got out of bed. On my way to the attached bathroom, I stopped in my tracks to once again admire the unreasonably large window, which gave me an extensive view of the beautiful garden below.

I reminded myself once again, how lavish and extravagant Florian's house was, and then continued to do my thing. That's all what his displays of wealth were to me - just something to stop and wonder at momentarily. Nothing more, nothing less.

After I had brushed my teeth and washed my face, I went back to my room and searched through my bags for my sketchbook. Looking at my clothes still in my suitcase, I was reminded of my new, fully clothed closet that I refused to wear.

Filled with dresses in horrendous styles and flashy colors, and lingerie that would barely cover anything, that closet was a nightmare for me. It didn't matter that I had to look high class from now on since I would become André Beaumont's wife. I would never lay hands on such pieces in my life.

Mentally making a note that I had to throw away all those dresses and settle my clothes in, I focused my attention to the sketchbook and pack of pencils I'd packed for myself. It was my favorite for drawing new designs whenever I had the inspiration, and I couldn't go anywhere without it.

Although there was a desk in my room where I could work, I wanted to work in a more open space, which was full of sunlight. Last night, I had noticed a perfect place for working, and I headed for it straightway.

There was a different section in the living room, reserved for just making coffee. There was a counter in front, where one could lounge and drink their coffee, or just sit and laze around. If I was lucky, I wouldn't find anyone out there, and I would be able to do my work in peace.

Luckily, as I climbed down the stairs and entered the living room, it was empty. The whole house, in fact, seemed to be empty. Maybe no one was home, or they just liked their Sundays a lot. Setting my things on the white flawless marble counter, I surveyed the expensive coffee machines in front of me. Everything for these people just had to be plated in gold to be enjoyable.

Sighing, I proceeded to crush fresh coffee beans in the machine. I placed a large mug beneath the dispenser, and waited for coffee to pour into it. Turning around, my eyes fell on the closed the dining room, and I recalled last night's talk with Florian.