SWNOVELS Chapter My CEO 349
349 Settling In, or Not
(Winona)
This place is stunning. Truly. But it's not made for kids. Not in the slightest.
Everywhere I look, staff are bustling around, preparing everything as if royalty are about to arrive. I glance at Jayden, watching as someone pours him a drink.
He's trying to hide it, but I can see a bit of embarrassment on his face. Not enough to stop it, though. He's sitting in an armchair, with a staff member standing by waiting for the next instruction. "This is... a lot," I murmur as I lean in closer.
He shrugs. "It's their job, Winona. I can't just sack them"
"I get that," I say, running a hand through my hair. "But they're doing everything. How are the kids supposed to learn anything here if someone's doing every little thing for them?"
"They can still learn. Just... we'll work it out," Jayden tries to reassure me. "Look, I know it's overwhelming right now, but let's just give it a few days, okay? We'll figure out a routine that works for everyone."
I'm not convinced. I can already tell this isn't the environment where I want to raise the kids. But I nod,
trying to push down my concerns.
"Let's go see the kitchen," I say, tugging at his hand.
He follows me, and when we enter, the sight that greets us is exactly what I expected-chefs everywhere, chopping, prepping, organizing. It's like something out of a high-end restaurant.
"Uh..." Jayden scratches the back of his neck. "Okay, yeah. That's a bit much."
"I can't teach the kids to do chores in here," I point out, gesturing at the gleaming countertops, the spotless floors, the precision with which everyone works. "How am I supposed to get them to help with dinner if we've got a five-star restaurant staff?" Jayden chuckles, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe we can put them in chef school while we're at it?"
I roll my eyes. "This is serious, Jayden. This isn't a home-it's a hotel. I'm not sure why Gus would expect us to live here."
He sighs, pulling me into a hug. "I know. But give me a couple of days to figure it out, alright? We'll make this work. I promise."
T
I lean into him, but my gut tells me this was a mistake. Maybe we should've stayed home.
Hugo leaves without so much as a goodbye, and Jayden is busy wrangling the kids outside with Henry in his arms. I take a moment to breathe, and that's when Viktor steps into the room.
"You look like you could use a break," he says with a small grin.
"Does it show?" I mutter, shaking my head.
He nods toward the door. "Want to see the cottage? I can drive you over."
"I think I'd prefer to walk," I say. "The fresh air might clear my head."
+25 BONUS
349 Setting In or Nati
Viktor nods, falling into step beside me as we head out. The estate grounds are vast, but they're beautiful. Rolling hills, manicured gardens, and the kind of countryside that makes you feel like you've stepped into a painting. It's a little unreal, honestly.
"You come from a big family, right?" I ask, breaking the silence as we walk.
"Big doesn't even cover it," Viktor says, his grin widening. "Twelve kids in total. I'm the oldest."
"Wow." I smile. "That's incredible. You must have been like a second father to them."
"Something like that," he admits. "But my parents were always there. My mom's a doula, herbalist... She raised us with a mix of tough love and natural remedies. She'd love to meet you."
"I'd love to meet her, too," I say, genuinely intrigued. "I could probably use some of her herbal wisdom and her kid wisdom."
"She's got plenty to share."
We walk in silence for a while, taking in the landscape. After about ten minutes, I see it-the cottage. Only,
not really a cottage. It's huge. At least eight bedrooms, from the looks of it.
"Is that it?" I ask, pointing at the large structure in the distance.
"That's it," Viktor confirms.
"That's no cottage," I mutter, eyeing the building. "It's bigger than it looks from here. Why's it so... neglected?"
Viktor's expression shifts, more serious now. "It was the original homestead. Gus built it when he first got this land and the mansion, back when the royal family gifted it to him. He had plans for a life in this cottage. A family. But when Judy made it clear she wasn't interested in coming here to play happy families, he walked away from it."
I frown. "So this place has just been sitting here, empty?"
"Pretty much," Viktor nods. "Gus used the mansion to house all the valuable things he collected over the years. But the cottage? That was supposed to be the heart of his family life. When Judy shut him down, he shut it down too."
I glance at the neglected structure, the overgrown garden, the cobwebs clinging to the windows. "Seems like he was protecting his heart in that place as much as those artifacts."
Viktor nods. "You're not wrong."
We reach the front door, and Viktor opens it. The place smells like dust and disuse, but beneath the layers of neglect, I can see the potential.
It's spacious, with high ceilings, wood floors, and large windows that let in natural light. But it's a far cry from being livable in its current state.
But I love it. It reminds me of Santa Monica cottage, but that whole thing would fit in this room.
We w
were happy there until my deadbeat father turned up. But I did get Bobby and Sarah because of him.
2/3
Swing in or Aut
+25 BONUS.
I step further inside, my mind already whirring with ideas. "We can clean this up. Get it back in shape."
Viktor raises an eyebrow. "You sure? It's a lot of work. We have staff to help."
"No. I'll do it." I shrug Tve never been afraid of a little work."
He smiles Til help where I can."
I nod, determined. "Tomorrow, I'm starting on this place. It's time someone brought the life that it was meant to have" "Perfect" Viktor nods.
Now I know why Gus wanted us to come