Harieth

The car rode into what seemed like an endless compound, enchanted by lights lit at almost every corner. I could barely make out the environment in the darkness but the fountain that stood in the middle was inevitable and the driver had to drive around before finally making a stop in front of the main entrance into the tall mansion. I found myself staring at the enormous building which no one knows the beginning and end of its width. The sound of the door being shut causes me to snap out of thoughts and turn to take a look at my dear husband that had sat quietly beside me all this while. Unsurprisingly, he had made his way down as I turn back to the window, I sight him walking up to the main entrance into the mansion without taking one look back.

"Home sweet home," I tell myself as I brush his attitude aside and look forward to the positive side of my present situation which involves living in this big house like a princess. Don't get me wrong. I lived in a big house all my life as well but this... this was way bigger than mine. It looked more like a generational mansion. From outside, it seemed quite vintage but I bet the insides are going to blow my mind away.

The driver opens the door for me and I step down with a simple smile on my face. While two maids in similar uniform help carry the rest of my luggage into the mansion, I followed behind. As soon as I stepped into the mansion, a broad smile grows on my face. It was even more beautiful than I had expected. At the moment, this seemed nothing less than a palace. How is it possible that I've never really known about the existence of the Hendrix's? Perhaps, it's because both brothers were always under the radar. Controversies meant publicity and publicity meant discovery. Good job I would say. I found myself deviating from what should have been the direct track. I needed to explore at once. I had the itch to know more about my new home. If only Paris and Stacy were here. They would turn green with envy. Talk about from grace to grace.

I took notice of my own breathing as everywhere was quiet. It made me wonder if there was a no speech rule in this mansion. If so, there's definitely going to be a problem now that I'm around. I hear the sound of my own heels on the wooden floor as I walked down the hallway, taking notice of everything at my eyes could lay on. Finally, I step into what seems to be the living room. The sight of it all makes me smile broader. Every porcelain and furniture in the room was truly worth a lot. I could tell. I've lived in the world of the rich all my life. I could mostly tell genuine from the fake. I walk over to the fireplace and brush my fingers lightly against the uneven bricked walls. Perfect and beautiful. Above it laid a few photos. I stared at them for a while trying to point out which of the young boys in the picture was Christian. Eventually, I gave up and look away. There, I felt stuck as my eyes rested a huge portrait of a beautiful woman. Her age in the painting was unable to be deciphered by me. I walk closer to it and only stopped when my whole body was directly in front of it. By the look of her clothes and jewellery, I would say she was no ordinary person in this house. Wait... I narrowed my eyes at the painting to take a closer look. She looks a little like Christian. The same nose structure and hair colour. Perhaps, she's his mum. Wow!

A small smile curls up at the side of my lips. For some reason, I like her. Her eyes held this look of power and authority, something I admired in women. I bet if she were around, we would have gotten along quite okay. A light sigh escapes my lips before I turn away from the portrait. I caught sight of the sofa. The sight of it quite charming at first and so I walk up to it, stared at the cream coloured sofa for a moment before delicately having a seat. It felt so soft, comfortable and inviting. I bounce a few times on it while giggling like a little girl. This much wealth was making me so happy. This was fun. Imagine having the opposite of all this. Imagine having to leave on the streets and lose all this. Thank God, I said yes to this marriage.

The sound of a person clearing his or her throat makes me instantly turn to the direction of the sound. Slowly, the smile on my face died down as my eyes fell on Christian standing a little by the entrance into the living room. As usual, his face held no emotion but at the same time, I felt a little embarrassed. How long has he been standing there? How much of my snooping around did he see? Lightly, I bit my lower lip. Sooner than I expected, he turned and began walking away.

"That's it?" I question myself having expected more than that. Perhaps, I should follow him and so, quickly, I get up to my feet and hasten my pace after him. As I followed silently behind, he made no remark so I kept up with it all the way up the stairs, down what seemed to be the hall of fame. Several portraits of his possible relatives hung on the wall. When I finally look away from a portrait, Christian was gone. I stopped for a moment wondering where he had disappeared to when I found no answer, I made the decision to keep going on my own.

Suddenly, I drew to a halt. I definitely saw something and so with that thought. I made a U-turn and after a few steps, I stopped. My eyes fell on Christian who stood with arms folded below his chest. Why was he being super silent tonight? So, he watched me walk past this room without saying a word.

"You could have let me know you were in here," I told him before taking further steps into the room. I watch him roll his eyes away from me for a moment before bringing them back. I took the opportunity to scan the room and by the side, I could see the luggage I came in with.

"This is your room. If you need anything else..." I shift my eyes back to him.

"...well, deal with it yourself. I don't like to be disturbed so try in as much as possible to not make a sound." He explains in an annoying and nonchalant attitude before turning away to leave.

"And your room?" I question almost right away causing him to halt for a moment. I watch in curiosity of what would come next but yet, nothing. He just kept walking like I said nothing. I let out a loud sigh as soon as I was alone once more. Eventually, I slumped on the bed and after what seemed like ages of staring around the room, I got up to my feet. It had been a long day, I need to wash up and so with that thought, I head to the bathroom.

Feeling fresh and new, I step out of the bathroom now dressed in my pj's. Quickly, I search for my bag of cosmetics and when found, I walked over to the dressing table to lay them out. I apply the usual on my face before drying my hair with a hand dryer. Afterwards, I just laid on the bed flat on my back, staring at the ceiling.

"So quiet." A state the obvious. I was bored and it didn't help that everywhere was quiet. Quiet means thinking and thinking isn't what I like doing.

Immediately, I get off the bed and make my way to the walk-in closet. Perhaps, I might busy myself with sorting out my stuff. Once the doors were open, I stare at the empty closet for a minute.

"That can't be right. They're supposed to be in here if not in the room." With that statement, I walk away and search the entire room for any sign of my luggage that had arrived earlier today.

Afterwards, I stand a little frustrated and exhausted from searching. Where could they be?

"Christian," I mention between gritted teeth before storming out of the room. I walk down the hallway furiously attempting to open the door into each room I come across. Most were locked which infuriated me further.

Finally, the next I push open turns out to be his as my eyes fall on him trying to put on a sweatshirt. Instantly, our eyes meet and I stand frozen with widening eyes staring back at him. For a moment, he does the exact same thing and as if tapped to consciousness, he suddenly looks away while finishing up with what he was doing and I look away elsewhere sucking my lower lip in for a moment. I feel a little heated up and so unable to meet his eyes once more.

"Can you not knock?" His question causes me to look up once more and I realise he had made his way closer to me than a moment ago. Meeting his eyes once more, I recall the little view of his bare body I just saw and it causes me to look away from his eyes right away. Gosh, how embarrassing. Why am I acting like a little girl? It's not the first time that I've seen a man's body. They're almost everywhere. They're in magazines, on billboards, swimming pools, parties, movies. Why's this little sight of his making me a little flustered?

"Since you've grown speechless, leave." His sentences pushed me back to reality and I force myself to forget what just happened a moment ago and focus on what I came here for in the first place. I look up to him.

"My luggage, the ones I sent in this morning, I can't find them in my room. Could you care to explain that?" I ask, returning to my former self and crossing my arms below my chest. He stared down at me for what seemed like forever that I worried he might not speak.

"They were too much so I left them downstairs." He spoke up before walking past me and out of the room.

"What!?" I exclaimed in shock before following him out, with a turn back, he stretched out his hand to the door and drew it to a close.

"Why would you leave my stuff downstairs? I sent them in early for a reason. Do you even have any idea how important the contents of those boxes are? You can't just leave them anywhere. I have a room, don't I? Why didn't you just leave them in there." I complained while trailing behind him and all the way downstairs. Finally, he stopped and I do the same as well and watched as he turned to me.

"If you want to live under my roof, you'll have to go along with all my decisions. No questions."

"Go along?" I question with a light chuckle. This man here was truly crazy.

"In case you haven't noticed, Mr Christian Hendrix. I am Harieth Gryffin. Rockwell Gryffin's daughter and not once in my life have I had to tag along with what someone else wants. They tag along with me so if you want our living together under this roof to be peaceful, you better sit up and treat me with the respect I deserve. Now, where did you leave my suitcases?" I spoke up quite boldly while looking up to him, directly in the eyes for him to understand I wasn't the least bit scared of him and I wasn't the least ready to succumb to his dominance.

I watch him look away from me for a second and in as much as I tried, I couldn't make out what was going on in his mind. I couldn't guess what was coming next.

"I need to work so stay clear off my path." He suddenly comments while taking one last look at me before walking away.

"That's it!? You're not going to tell me where you left them!? Fine! I'll find them myself." I yelled to him from right where I stood while he walked away. Soon, he was gone and once again, I was left to the solidarity of my new found home. I look around and yet, no sign of anyone.

Perhaps, I didn't think this through very much.