Chapter Five

The drive to Ryan's house was quiet for most of the journey. Vanessa sat by the window, watching the familiar streets slowly disappear behind them. She had expected to feel sad about leaving, but strangely, she was more curious than anything else. She kept wondering what her new life was going to look like.

She had already suspected that Ryan was wealthy. The car that had come to pick them up from her parents' house was enough to wow her . It was far bigger and more luxurious than any car she had expected him to have. Still, she had not been prepared for what she saw when they finally arrived at the estate.

Vanessa's eyes widened as they drove through the large gates.

She sat up straighter in her seat, looking through the window in disbelief.

The estate was enormous.

There was a beautifully maintained garden stretching across one side, with flowers of different colours carefully arranged along the walkways. A large swimming pool sat farther ahead, surrounded by neatly trimmed grass and comfortable outdoor furniture. Everything looked almost too perfect, like one of those places she had only ever seen in movies.

And then she saw the house.

Vanessa stared.

The building stood proudly in front of them, huge and elegant, with tall windows, wide balconies, and more space than she could even begin to imagine needing.

She slowly turned to Ryan, who sat beside her as though none of this was unusual.

This is his house??

She looked back outside.

It was not just a house.

It was an estate.

And judging from the way the driver moved around the property and the complete privacy of the place, Vanessa quickly realized that the entire compound belonged to Ryan.

She swallowed.

She knew Ryan was richer than her family, but seeing it with her own eyes was completely different.

The car finally came to a stop in front of the house, and Vanessa stepped out slowly, still looking around.

She felt incredibly small.

Everything about the place screamed wealth. Even the flowers looked expensive.

Ryan noticed her standing there and glanced at her.

"Are you coming?"

Vanessa quickly nodded. "Yeah."

She followed him inside.

The moment she entered the house, her mouth almost fell open.

It was even more beautiful on the inside.

The ceilings were high, the floors were spotless, and the furniture was arranged so perfectly that Vanessa suddenly became conscious of every movement she made. She did not know where to look first. The living room alone seemed bigger than the entire downstairs area of her childhood home.

She walked slowly, taking everything in.

For the first time since leaving home, she felt completely out of place.

This was supposed to be where she lived now.

But somehow, she felt like a visitor.

She was still looking around when Ryan cleared his throat.

Vanessa turned to him.

"Are you planning to stand there all day, or are you going upstairs to your room?"

"My room?" she repeated.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Your room."

She blinked, almost as if she had forgotten that she was supposed to have one.

"Okay."

Ryan walked ahead and Vanessa followed him up the stairs.

When he opened the door to her room she stopped at the entrance.

Her eyes widened again.

The room was huge.

There was a large, beautifully made bed in the centre, a wardrobe that looked like it could hold everything she owned and more, a dressing table, a comfortable looking chair near the window, and enough space for her to walk around without bumping into anything.

Vanessa stepped inside slowly.

"Wow."

Ryan leaned against the doorframe, watching her reaction.

She walked over to the wardrobe and opened it. There was even a separate space for her shoes and boots.

She smiled.

"This is actually my room?"

Ryan gave her a look. "I wouldn't have brought you here if it wasn't." He said in a straight voice 

She laughed softly.

For the first time since leaving home, some of the tension in her chest disappeared.

Ryan walked toward the door.

"Take your time. Unpack your things, have a shower, and come downstairs when you're done. You can eat something."

Vanessa nodded. "Okay."

He gave her one last look before leaving.

She stood there for a few seconds after he disappeared, still trying to process everything.

Then she began unpacking.

She arranged her clothes carefully inside the wardrobe and placed her shoes where she thought they belonged. She took out her toiletries, books, and a few personal things that had followed her from home.

Then she came across the framed photographs.

Her parents.

She held the pictures for a moment her smile fading slightly.

She missed them already.

Vanessa carefully placed the photographs on the bedside table before changing her mind. She wanted them somewhere she could see them every day.

After finding a suitable spot on the wall, she hung the pictures carefully.

She stepped back and looked at them.

For a moment, the room didn't feel quite as unfamiliar anymore.

Her parents were there.

A little piece of home was there with her.

After finishing her unpacking, Vanessa grabbed her towel and headed into the bathroom.

The shower helped wash away some of the exhaustion from the journey. By the time she came out, dressed in something comfortable, she felt completely drained.

She looked at the enormous bed.

It looked far too comfortable to resist.

Vanessa sat down.

Then she lay back.

Just for a minute, she told herself.

She closed her eyes, expecting to rest for a few moments before going downstairs.

But the moment her head touched the pillow, her body surrendered to the exhaustion she had been carrying all day.

Within minutes, Vanessa was fast asleep.