--Angelina POV--
"Welcome to our new home. Well, new for you. I've been living here for the past 10 years," He helped me out of the car as I rolled my eyes, taking a moment to look up at the large manor, and what a beautiful sight it was.
It was a large white brick estate with traditional red roofs, surrounded by acres of green land. On our way to the estate, I saw all kinds of trees surrounding the land as if to keep safe from the public eye, and I simply cannot wait to explore since this will be my home for the next year.
Climbing up the many steps that led to the front door, a man dressed in a black suit was respectfully waiting for us with his hands tucked behind his back.
"Angel, this is Stefan, my secretary. You'll be seeing more of each other from now on," I dipped my head down into a respectful nod before going to shake his hand as he took it.
"Lovely to meet your acquaintance," He smiled a small smile at my words.
"Likewise, milady," And he moved to knock on the large, heavy doors in front of us as they were pulled open from the inside from both ways by two doormen, and inside was a sight that I wasn't used to.
"My wife will only get the best entrance," Lucian whispered to me as we stepped into the house and I tried not to make my surprise too evident for them all to see. On the right were a line of men dressed in neat suits, while on the right were a line of women dressed in simple black pencil-dresses with black pumps.
"Is all of this really necessary?" I leaned up to whisper to him, my grip on his arm tightening as he chuckled at me, going to kiss my temple so I took his actions as a yes.
"You're all dismissed, I just wanted to show my wife off to you," Lucian waved them off as I glared up at him, ignoring the quiet chuckles from all the workers.
"I'd like to greet them all," I spoke before they could all walk away, taking them all and the man beside me by surprise.
"Why?" He looked down at me with a raised brow.
"Because I'll be working with them from now on," I stated as a matter-of-fact.
"You mean they'll be working for you," He tried to correct.
"No, I mean I'll be working with them. Having you as a husband is bound to come with its troubles, so I'll be having to work with them to be able to get over those troubles, because in all likelihood, they know you better than I do," He opened and closed his mouth, not knowing how to reply as they all chuckled.
One of the women who had been standing right at the front stood up straight to come and stand in front of me as I smiled at her gleaming face.
"Now I understand why your mother was going on and on about this lady, sire," I blushed at her words. My mother-in-law's been talking about me?
"She's perfect for your spoilt self,"
"I'm not spoilt," He glared at the woman with crossed arms, offended, but went on to introduce us anyways. "Angel, this is Ingrid, my head maid. She's like a second mother to me. And Ingrid-"
"-Oh, there's no need to introduce her. I've heard so much about you, dear, and I've been so excited to meet you. Your mother-in-law has been talking about you at every opportunity," I laughed awkwardly as she took hold of my hands, gleaming up at me as if I were a statue made of pure, solid gold.
"You flatter me, Ingrid. I look forward to working with you, I'll make sure to treat you, and all the other workers, well," I shook her hands back as she laughed.
"My, and she's so well-spoken too," She patted my cheek.
Every day, I find myself being more and more grateful for all the arduous lessons on grace and poise that mother put me through as a child, they're all being put to good use.
But I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a quiet meow.
"Milo!" I gasped, surprised to see him walking towards me as I leaned down to pick him up in my arms, kissing his furry self as he released another meow. It feels like it's been years since I've last seen him, but in all honesty, it's been around two weeks since the last time I saw him was on my wedding day.
"He's made himself quite comfortable in his new home. Your mother dropped him off before the day she left to return to Italy, and he's gotten quite close to all the workers. Thankfully, no one's allergic to cats," Ingrid stated as I smiled down at my cat.
"I missed you, you little furrball," I kissed him again as he meowed yet again.
"Ugh, I forgot he even existed," I jokingly slapped Lucian as he glared down at the cat which I noticed he didn't get along with very well.
"For real now, you can all get back to work," He changed the topic, waving everyone off.
"But-"
"-You can greet them all properly some other time, I promise," He cut me off with a pleading look as I gave in with a sigh, putting Milo down as I watched him stroll over to Stefan who picked him up in his arms, giving me an assuring look that he was in safe hands.
"Before that, I will personally give you a quick tour," He outstretched a hand, waiting for me to take it, and I did with a grateful smile as we went on our way.
And so, I followed Lucian around my new home as he gave me a tour of the most important rooms in the mansion, since it would very well take hours if he were to go and show me every single room of the large building.
I learnt that the estate itself has been alive since the 1600s, and has been owned by the Vandenburg family since the very beginning, it's been refurbished countless times to accustom itself with the changing times until it became what it is now, that would explain the modern aspects and the older aspects of it.
He said the main building of the estate had 20 bedrooms, a large kitchen that could rival a 7-star hotel, 5 different living areas, and 3 dining rooms, each one bigger than the other depending on the number of guests, and there were more bathrooms than I could bother remembering.
But one of my favourite rooms was the conservatory, it was massive, and made entirely of glass with fountains spraying water, a waterfall surrounded by trees of all kinds, from palm trees to my favourite willow trees, and I even spotted some gingko trees along with more flowers than I knew existed, and the large Greek statues reminded me of home.
The statues reminded me of my father who was a big fanatic of traditional Italian art, he'd take me to the museum countless times as a child before his death.
The Moretti estate wasn't as big as this, but I remember spending a lot of time at the conservatory there, even though it hasn't properly been looked after in years. That conservatory has nothing on this one.
And I'm grateful that my love for nature is something that Lucian can relate to, Donovan didn't like nature at all, in fact, he'd always be complaining about it.
"My father would have loved this place," I inhaled a deep breath of air as I walked deeper into the glass dome, not even wanting to blink in fear of missing something.
"Your father..." Lucian whispered as he followed close behind me.
"Yes, he was a man of art, and nature. That's what influenced me,"
"You got along with your father then, I'm guessing," I turned to look at him for a moment as I nodded my head before carrying on my way, and I swear I heard the chirping of birds.
"Mama's always been busy with work so it used to just be my father and I. We did everything together, from going on father-daughter trips, to cooking together, and so on,"
"Wow. So, he's the man that taught you to cook as well as you do," Laughing, I nodded at his words, going to sit on the wooden bench as he sat down beside me, and we both simply looked over the landscape.
It was truly such a heavenly sight.
"It's his death anniversary soon. 18 years since I last called him papa," I sighed, my chest tightening at the fact as I gulped back the lump in my throat.
More than anyone could ever know, I missed him so much.
"I'm sorry, Angelina," He didn't need to be sorry, but I didn't say anything, and simply rested my head on his shoulder as his own head came to rest atop mine. Sometimes, one's presence can mean so much more than anyone's words, this was one of those moments.
"I know you've probably heard this many times already, but I know he was a good man," A smile graced my lips as I closed my eyes for a moment.
"You want to know how I know?" He asked.
"Go on, amuse me,"
"You," He whispered.
"Me?" I echoed.
"Yes. Seeing the kind of woman you've become; I can tell that his influence on you has helped to turn you into the amazing person that you are. And greatness will only create an even bigger greatness," I bit the inside of my lips, squeezing my eyes shut, afraid I'd really end up crying.
It was nice to hear. I had been so sure that my father would be disappointed in me if he were to see the kind of woman I've become, but Lucian's words assured me otherwise. I had nothing to be afraid of, I never did.
"Thank you," I needed to hear that.
"It's just facts," He muttered, going to kiss the top of my head.
"...It was a car crash," I spoke without thinking.
"And it was my fault," I added, a single tear slipping passed my lashes as it rolled down my cheek, but Lucian didn't say anything, and I appreciated that. He simply sat beside me, wiping my tears away as he listened.
"That day, I shouted at my mother, asking her why she had given birth to me if she wasn't even going to share the responsibility to raise me, I was intent on the fact that she didn't love me... and I ran out the house." I took a moment to catch my breath.
Even Donovan didn't know this story, and I'm not sure why I'm telling Lucian, but it felt like it would be okay. So, I continued to speak.
"I wasn't planning on going far, just to the neighbourhood park to cool my head down... But there was a drunk driver, and papa jumped in to push me out of the way... He got hit by the car in my place, hit his head on the curb, and died on impact. No last words. No will. Nothing."
And I broke down.
But he was there with me the whole time, his hands stroking my back, lips showering me with kisses, and speaking reassuring words that told me it wasn't my fault.
Things like this happen all the time, I wasn't the first, and I certainly wasn't the last.
But just as I walk down the path of life with scars littering me, there are many others that do too. And knowing that I wasn't alone gave me a sense of comfort.
My father was a great man.
And I liked to believe that he was in a better place right now.
...