Page 16 of Ruthless Match

“Why is all my stuff being moved? You had no right to do this.” Suddenly, it was more than I could take, and my voice began to tremble. “You can’t just move all my things without asking me, it’s an invasion of privacy.”

Matteo remained calm, but I could see the surprise in my reaction in his eyes.

“I thought this would make things easier for you, Aurora. We are married now, so it is only fitting that we live together. I thought it would be easier for you if you did not have to pack yourself. This is your home now—our home.”

I wasn’t sure how to process his last statement. I heard myself repeating “Our Home” repeatedly to myself, gradually getting louder and louder. Then, I exploded.

“This isn’t about this being our home, Matteo. This is about you still trying to control me, to prove that you are the one in control. In no way is this about making things easier for me.”

I was yelling at this point, but I didn’t care.

Matteo stepped closer, his gaze steady as he approached. “I understand that you’re upset, although I believe you are overreacting. This is not about control; it is about us starting our life together. I thought it would be better if you already had your stuff here, rather than going back into the city.”

I tried to interject, “This is all too much. This house, it’s just so…”

Matteo reached out to stroke my face, but I pulled away. “You can decorate however you like. Cost is not an issue.”

I was still angry, but I couldn’t deny the sincerity in Matteo’s eyes. Is it possible he did this to be nice?

Sighing, I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath. “I appreciate you trying to help, but you should have asked me first.” My voice was softer, but my frustration was still evident.

“This isn’t just about the house, Matteo. It’s about respect.”

Relieved I was no longer yelling, Matteo nodded. “You’re right. I apologize. I should have talked to you before taking it upon myself to have your belongings moved. But I meant what I said: this is your home now as well. There is more than enough space for you to be comfortable. I wasn’t kidding when I said you can decorate or change anything you’d like.”

I took another deep breath as my anger slowly gave way to a sense of calm resignation. Fighting with Matteo wasn’t going to get me anywhere and deep down, I didn’t have the energy. He offered me an olive branch and meeting him halfway was up to me.

“Okay, I’ll stay. But you must promise that you won’t make any more major decisions that concern me without talking to me first.”

Matteo smiled, genuine warmth in his eyes. “I promise to try. I can’t say I won’t make mistakes, but this is your home now and I want you to be happy here.”

I nodded in agreement and smiled softly. Somewhere deep inside, I felt a flicker of hope.

“Oh, and I’ll be taking you up on that offer to redecorate. I hope your credit card is ready.”

Matteo laughed as he began showing me the rest of the house. Over the next few days, I began to settle into the mansion. At times it was overwhelming. As soon as I thought I had explored every room, a new one seemed to pop up.

Determined not to let it get the best of me, I tackled each one as they came, making notes of what I wanted to change and how I could make certain spaces feel more like me.

It wasn’t that I thought the rooms were ugly; they just didn’t feel livable. I envisioned a home where I could come in from a run and kick my shoes off, not a museum where I felt like I needed to tip-toe on eggshells.

Luckily, Matteo was true to his word and gave me free rein to decorate how I saw fit. He’d never admit it, but I got the sneaking suspicion that either his mother had decorated for him, or he had hired the most expensive interior decorator he could find. I’d put money on the second option.

Occasionally, I asked his opinion and found that he was surprisingly supportive of my decisions. He offered suggestions but gave me space to do as I wanted. It wasn’t like he handed me the keys to the business, but it was a small step in showing trust.

One afternoon, I found myself in the library, a room that had quickly become my favorite. I fell in love with the dark paneled walls, the shelves of books, and the large picture window that offered a stunning view of the rose garden. I was lost in thought, deciding where to place my new reading chair when Matteo walked in.

“This room suits you,” he said startling me.

Blushing from the compliment, I looked up. “Thank you. The room is beautiful, and the view is to die for.”

Matteo walked toward me, his eyes never leaving mine. “As a child, I was always lost in a boo. It was my escape from the ugliness of the world. Inside a book, I was safe, transported to a beautiful, fictional world of my choosing. That’s why when I was having the house built, I insisted that the library window face the garden.”

I knew exactly what he meant.

“So, when you took a break from the beauty of the words, you could see the beauty outside,” I stated matter-of-factly.

Stroking my cheek, he leaned down and gently kissed my neck. “Exactly.”

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