The large doors swung open, revealing a soaring grand living room with embracing double staircases on each side, a scene reminiscent of something only seen in movies.
Inside, there were about seven or eight servants, all standing on either side, all of them French, adding to the retro vibe of the place.
“Mr. Silverton.” The butler stepped forward, greeting them in French. He was a tall man, dressed in a suit, lean and slightly older.
Elijah introduced, “This is my wife, and we will be staying here for a couple of days.”
“Madame.” The butler bowed respectfully, and then proceeded to introduce which tasks each servant was responsible for around the house. “However, since Mr. Silverton and Madame do not reside here, they are mainly responsible for cleaning inside and outside, tending to the garden, and other miscellaneous tasks.”
Freya nodded in acknowledgment.
“I will have someone prepare the rooms now,” the butler stated confidently, knowing the strengths of his staff and who was best suited for which tasks.
With such a large estate, everything was well-managed and organized.
“Sir, Madam, I have prepared the bathwater and dinner will be served at seven, is that acceptable?” the butler asked.
Elijah answered, “Yes, that will be fine.”
“Shall we go upstairs?” Elijah said to Freya.
Freya nodded in agreement.
Perhaps Elijah wasn’t even familiar with the layout of the entire house that the butler knew so well.
As the butler continued to give his tour and provide instructions, he made sure to address any potential areas of dissatisfaction from the owners.
There were areas that could be improved.
The second floor was mostly for entertaining, with a large rectangular room on the left side. Three tall french windows adorned with neatly hanging curtains, single sofas placed at intervals with square coffee tables in between, arranged in a U shape, making it a suitable place for meetings and discussions.
There was also a separate area for entertaining guests and hosting dinner parties.
The dining room, the lounge.
The bedrooms were on the third floor, with a total of six suites.
Each room had its own living room, bathroom, walk-in closet, terrace, and french windows.
The downside of such a large house was that everything required a long walk, and Freya already felt tired from touring just a part of it. “Let’s stop here for now.”
“Of course,” the butler agreed. “You can take your time to explore the ground floor and basement at your own pace.”
He respectfully excused himself.
Freya sat down on the couch and rubbed her neck. She looked up at Elijah and asked, “It is indeed spacious here, but would it be suitable for living?”
Sometimes, a smaller space could feel more like a warm home.
This place, while having everything, seemed a bit cold.
Elijah reassured her, “It will be fine. The two children will also need space as they grow up.”
Bringing Elowen and Linda, as well as the bodyguards and drivers, would fill the house and make it less empty. With more people, it would start to feel like a home, but for now, with just the two of them, it felt lonely.
“Take a bath, rest well tonight. I might be busy tomorrow,” Elijah said as he took off his suit jacket.
Freya stood up, taking the jacket and hanging it on a hanger, helping him unbutton his shirt. “You go ahead and shower first.”
Elijah’s eyes were lowered as he watched her delicate, fingers unbutton his shirt, elegantly holding them.
“What are you doing?” Freya looked up, meeting his gaze.
Their eyes locked, and Elijah chuckled softly. “You now seem very much like a wife.”
Freya smiled, arching an eyebrow. “Am I now your wife just because I’m serving you?”
Elijah gently wrapped his arm around her soft, slender waist, patiently explaining with a serious expression, “No…”
“I understand,” Freya giggled. “I was just teasing you.”
Elijah pinched her cheek. “Mischievous, now you even dare to tease me.”
Freya playfully pouted, “I can’t let you bully me all the time, can I?”
“Am I bullying you?” He leaned in closer, with a deep and intense gaze, his voice low and seductive. “I feel like bullying you right now, is that okay?”