FREYA'S POV
I ended the telephone call and placed my mobile phone onto the wooden kitchen table. I looked across the small room and met Talia's worried gaze because she had heard Mason's cold voice through the device's external speaker.
"He is waiting outside the building right now, so you must pack your belongings immediately," Talia stated while she stood up from her chair and pushed her ceramic bowl toward the center of the table. "You cannot keep a powerful billionaire waiting in this dangerous neighborhood because he might cancel the financial agreement entirely."
"I will go to my bedroom and gather my clothes right now, although I deeply resent his demanding attitude," I replied, and I walked down the narrow hallway to enter my small sleeping quarters.
I opened my closet door and pulled a worn-out fabric suitcase from the top shelf. I placed the empty luggage onto my mattress and unzipped the main compartment. I opened my wooden dresser drawers and extracted my basic clothing items, and I folded my denim jeans, my cotton t-shirts, and my standard underwear neatly before I stacked them inside the suitcase. I did not own any expensive dresses or luxury garments, so the packing process only required a few minutes of my time. After I secured my clothes, I walked into the tiny bathroom to retrieve my personal hygiene products. I turned on the metal faucet and splashed cold water onto my face to wash away the sweat from my long work shift, and I dried my skin with a cotton towel. I grabbed my plastic toothbrush, my tube of mint toothpaste, and my wooden hairbrush from the sink counter, and I placed them into a small canvas pouch. I returned to the bedroom and tucked the pouch inside the suitcase before I pulled the metal zipper completely closed.
Talia waited for me near the front door, and she wrapped her arms tightly around my shoulders when I walked into the living room carrying my heavy luggage.
"You must protect your heart while you live inside that massive house, Freya," Talia warned me sincerely as she released her physical embrace and looked directly into my eyes. "Mason will try to intimidate you with his extreme wealth, and his family members will probably treat you terribly, so you must remember your own personal value and ignore their cruel insults."
"I promise you that I will not let those arrogant people destroy my confidence, and I will visit you at the diner every single week so we can maintain our friendship," I assured her confidently because I refused to let my temporary marriage change my core personality.
I opened the wooden door and walked down the three flights of concrete stairs until I reached the cracked pavement outside the apartment building. A massive black luxury vehicle was parked directly next to the broken streetlamp, and Leon stood silently beside the rear passenger door. He wore the exact same grey suit he had worn at the diner earlier that afternoon, and his facial expression remained completely blank when he noticed my worn-out suitcase.
"Good evening, Miss Summers," Leon said in a highly professional tone as he reached out and took the heavy luggage from my hand. "Please step inside the vehicle so we can transport you to the Kingsley estate immediately."
He opened the heavy metal door, and I slid onto the smooth leather seat. The interior of the car smelled strongly of expensive cleaning chemicals and new leather, and the temperature was perfectly controlled by the automated air conditioning system. Leon placed my suitcase into the rear trunk and closed the lid before he climbed into the driver's seat. He started the quiet engine, and he steered the large vehicle away from my poor neighborhood without speaking another word to me.
We drove through the busy city streets for over forty-five minutes, and I watched the external scenery change drastically through the tinted glass window. The broken sidewalks and the overflowing trash cans slowly disappeared, and they were replaced by perfectly manicured lawns, tall security fences, and massive residential properties. We eventually arrived at a tall iron gate surrounded by thick stone walls, and Leon pressed a plastic button on the vehicle's dashboard to open the security barrier. The heavy metal gates slowly swung outward, and we drove down a long, circular driveway paved with smooth grey stones.
The Kingsley mansion was incredibly massive, and the exterior architecture featured tall white columns and dozens of large glass windows. Leon parked the vehicle near the front entrance, and he quickly exited the driver's seat to open my passenger door. I stepped out of the car and stared at the intimidating building while Leon retrieved my cheap suitcase from the trunk.
"You must follow me directly to the primary home office because Mr. Kingsley is waiting to discuss the specific parameters of your living arrangement," Leon instructed me as he walked toward the heavy oak front doors.
I followed him inside the house, and my shoes clicked loudly against the polished marble floors. The interior ceilings were exceptionally high, and a massive crystal chandelier hung from the center of the main entryway, illuminating the expensive oil paintings displayed on the painted walls. We walked down a long, silent corridor until Leon stopped abruptly in front of a solid wooden door. He knocked twice on the wooden panel, and Mason's deep voice commanded us to enter the room.
Leon turned the brass handle and pushed the door open. I walked into the spacious office, and I immediately noticed the dark mahogany desk positioned in the center of the room. Mason sat behind the large desk wearing a crisp white dress shirt, although he had removed his tailored suit jacket and loosened his silk tie. He did not stand up to greet me, and he did not offer me a glass of water or a comfortable chair to sit on. Instead, he stared at me with an expression of absolute authority and total indifference.
"You arrived exactly on time, and I appreciate your strict adherence to the schedule," Mason stated coldly while he leaned back against his leather office chair. "We must finalize the practical rules of this marriage contract tonight because we are visiting the municipal courthouse tomorrow morning to secure the legal marriage license."
"I am entirely ready to hear your specific rules because I want to understand my exact boundaries before I go to sleep tonight," I replied firmly, and I stood directly in front of his desk without showing any physical intimidation.
Mason turned his head slightly and looked at his assistant. "Leon, please read the primary stipulations aloud so Miss Summers understands her exact daily obligations while she resides inside my private home."
Leon opened his grey suit jacket and pulled a folded sheet of paper from his interior pocket. He unfolded the document carefully and began to read the printed text in a clear, monotonous voice that echoed slightly in the large room.
"Rule number one states that you will occupy a private bedroom located in the east wing of the estate, while Mr. Kingsley will remain in his master suite located in the west wing, and you are strictly forbidden from entering his private quarters at any time," Leon read aloud, and he paused briefly to ensure I comprehended the geographical separation. "Rule number two dictates that you will never initiate any form of physical contact with Mr. Kingsley unless public media cameras or specific family members are actively observing your interactions."
"I gladly accept both of those rules because I have absolutely no desire to touch him or visit his bedroom," I interrupted quickly to clarify my own lack of romantic interest.
Mason narrowed his dark eyes at my blunt statement, but he gestured for Leon to continue reading the document.
"Rule number three requires you to decline all interview requests from journalists, and you must never speak to the public press regarding your relationship without Mr. Kingsley's explicit verbal permission," Leon continued reading the paper. "Finally, rule number four strictly prohibits you from developing any genuine romantic feelings toward Mr. Kingsley during the next twelve months, because this arrangement is entirely a business transaction and it will terminate permanently when the contract expires."
I listened carefully to the final rule, and I found the specific demand completely insulting because he assumed I would naturally fall in love with his terrible personality. I crossed my arms tightly over my chest and glared directly at the arrogant billionaire sitting behind the mahogany desk.
Leon finished reading the document, and he folded the paper neatly before he returned it to his jacket pocket. "Do you fully understand your current position and your daily obligations, Miss Summers?"
"I understand that I am your temporary employee for the next twelve months, but you must understand that I will never submit to your arrogance, and I will walk out of this mansion immediately if you ever speak down to me again," I told Mason in a strong, unwavering voice that challenged his complete authority.
Mason leaned forward slowly, resting his elbows on the polished wooden surface of his desk, and he smirked coldly at my verbal threat.
"We will see exactly how long your stubborn pride lasts when my stepmother arrives here tomorrow morning to evaluate your pathetic manners and your cheap clothing," Mason replied maliciously.