A Different Life

Gabriella stared out at the blur of traffic and glowing billboards, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Slowly, the streets began to change, and the city's skyscrapers were replaced with brownstones and low-rise modern buildings. Trees lined the avenues, forming canopies over them, and the constant roar of traffic was replaced by a quiet hum of a serene suburban neighborhood.

The car slowed as they made a turn into a street with massively grand houses protected by tall iron gates. Each one more breathtaking than the last.

Gabriella gazed in awe at the incredible homes. She didn’t know neighborhoods like this even existed in the city.

“Where are we?” she looked to Alexander and asked.

“Riverdale,” he responded casually.

The peace and quiet were a relief from the constant hustle and bustle of the city, and even the air seemed cleaner.

The car came to a halt in front of a tall black gate that began to open slowly in grand style, revealing Alexander’s home.

The driveway was wide, paved with smooth stone, and flanked by meticulously trimmed shrubs. At the end of it, a huge mansion stood proudly, rising to three stories, with large windows reflecting the dim glow of the streetlights. The design was a perfect blend of rustic and modern with black metal framing and smooth stone walls in soft grey tones.

Gabriella’s eyes roamed the fortress as the car finally came to a stop in front of the main entrance, which was marked by a sleek pair of imposing double doors.

“Here we are,” Alexander said and got out of the car. Without a word, Gabriella stepped out as well and followed behind him, still mesmerized by the size of his home.

They reached the main entrance in silence, and Alexander opened the doors and let her go in first. As the doors closed behind them, Gabriella stepped cautiously into the house. The entrance opened into a vast hall, with its ceiling stretching almost two stories. Above them hung a grand chandelier that shimmered gently with warm lighting. Directly ahead of them was a sweeping staircase with sleek glass railings that curved elegantly toward the upper floor.

Her breath caught in her throat. The interior was even more grand. To the left side, the hall opened into the main living room, which had plush white furniture, arranged in an L-Shape. Across from the sofa, mounted seamlessly into the wall was a large flat screen television, and below it sat a long modern fireplace, its flames flickering quietly behind glass.

As they walked to the living room, a man clad in a formal suit approached them and greeted politely.

“Good day Mr. Kingston, Good day Miss,” he said with a gentle nod.

“This is Stephen, the house manager. I’ve informed him previously that you will be joining me here. Feel free to ask him for whatever you may need,” Alexander said.

Gabriella could only blink in response. She had never experienced having staff before.

“Stephen, ensure her things are taken to her room.”

“Of course sir,” the man said curtly and left them.

“Come,” Alexander said to Gabriella, and they each took a seat in the living room.

“Now that you’re here. You should know the ground rules.” Alexander started, clearing his throat.

Gabriella stiffened in her seat.

“This arrangement between us is strictly temporary and professional, so I expect you to treat it as such,” he continued. “You are free to move about the grounds, but my room is strictly off limits.”

His gaze held hers steadily, and Gabriella had to fight the urge not to roll her eyes at him. ‘As if he isn’t the one forcing me to live with him’- she thought.

“In public, we will appear as a normal loving couple, but in private, there will be no emotional connection between us. You must remember that I am still your employer,” he said 

His gaze was hard, making sure she understood every word.

“If you feel the need to have guests over, you must let me know beforehand. I’m not a man who likes crowds, and I enjoy my privacy very much.”

“Of course,” Gabriella responded.

“We will have to come up with a believable story to explain how we got together, and if anyone asks, you stick with our story, we’re engaged and soon to be married. You support me in public events, family gatherings, and anything relating to the company. Understood?”

“Understood,” she nodded.

The weight of all he said felt heavy as she thought about the responsibilities being dumped on her. She wasn’t a part of his world. Everything felt new to her.

“Very good,” he said and got up with a flare of authority.

“Oh, and Gabriella,” he said, looking down at her with an intimidating gaze.

“I hope you understand that for the next year, you’re mine as far as our contract is concerned. So any romantic affiliations with anyone else within this period are strictly prohibited.”

Gabriella swallowed hard.

“Yes sir,” she replied, dropping her head as she felt her stomach tighten painfully. Honestly, she didn’t have any potential romantic partners in her life; she had only moved to New York a few months ago, and Khloe was basically the only person she knew. Still, Gabriella didn’t like the feeling of being Alexander’s property. She had signed her life away till further notice.

“As time goes on, you’ll get to meet my other staff, most of them only come around when I leave the house, except for my security. That being said, Stephen will show you to your room. Any questions?”

Gabriella looked up at him as he waited for her, his arms folded impatiently.

“No,” she whispered.

“Alright. I’ll let you know if there’s anything else.” He said and started walking towards the staircase.

“And Gabriella..” he turned over his shoulder to say.

“If you can’t convince people that we are genuinely in love and getting married, this entire arrangement will fall apart.”

Without waiting for a response, he continued up the stairs and disappeared. Leaving Gabriella alone in the vast living room. The house suddenly felt larger.

“Excuse me, Miss.  I am to show you to your room.” She heard Stephen call, and she turned around to find the man waiting for her at the living room entrance.

She got up and followed silently behind him as he led her up the staircase. At the top of the stairs, they arrived at a hallway that stretched to the left and right of the floor. They made a left turn, and Gabriella assumed Alexander’s room was probably at the right end.

Finally, they came to a stop in front of a sleek, white wooden door, and the man opened it, ushering her in.

“This is your room, Miss. If you need anything, I’m always available 24/7.”

“Thank you,” she replied, and he left her.

Gabriella walked into her new room, taking it all in. The wall facing her had floor-to-ceiling windows, dressed in elegant beige curtains. To the side stood a large king-size bed draped in crisp white sheets with a black comforter. To the right was a massive walk-in closet where she saw all her things had been put away neatly, and further down was a door that led to the bathroom.

Gabriella sat on the bed, exhausted. Her eyes roamed the space in awe. The bedroom alone was bigger than her whole apartment. Running her fingers lightly along the smooth wooden nightstand, the furniture felt cool beneath her touch, the kind she had only seen in luxury home magazines.

Sliding open the drawer, she noticed a folder lying neatly inside. Her brows furrowed slightly as she reached for it.

Opening it, her breath caught when she read the title on the first page. 

“Contractual Marriage Agreement.”

At the bottom, their signatures in black ink stared back at her mockingly, reminding her of her place in Alexander’s world. Dropping the folder, she let out a deep sigh and fell back on the bed.

Her phone pinged, and she opened it to find a message from Alexander.

“Be down for dinner by 8.”

This was her life now, rules and orders that she had to follow both at work and at home. The worst part was that this was just the beginning.