Billionaire Flawed 2(62)

Wow, look at you. Are you going out with him again? Ella's mother asked as Ella came from her bedroom. I make that three times this week.

Yes, Mom, I'm going out with him again, and yes it's the third time this week.

Who is he? So far you haven't told me a thing about him.

All in good time. We're just getting to know each other when the time is right; I'll tell you and Dad about him.

Well, you go and have a good time. I'm going to watch that new series on TV and wait for your father. I do so worry about him. He's working so hard, and he's not in the flush of youth anymore.

Mom, Ella said, not knowing why she was lowering her voice, but it seemed appropriate. You and Dad are very proud people, and I know you don't like accepting charity, but what I am about to do isn't charity. You have earned it by your devotion to me for all those years.

What are you talking about? Charity?

Ella handed her mother an envelope and watched as her mothers arthritic hands opened it. No, this is too much. You can't do this. I know we spoke about you paying something towards the household running costs once you had a job, but this is way too much, she said, looking down at two thousand dollars.

You can complain all you want, but from now on, you're getting two thousand a month from me. I'll see you later; I don't want to keep him waiting.

Ella took the elevator down to the street. However many times the landlord cleaned it, it always smelled of urine, she thought. Ella waited on the corner at the end of her street. It was the only green spot in the area, and the one place she felt comfortable letting Pavel pick her up from. There were a few kids playing soccer a little further up, and when the Bugatti Veyron passed them, they stopped and stared. Ella heard one kid shouting that the car costs one million, seven hundred thousand dollars.

Hi, Pavel beamed as he stopped. I'm Pavel, and you look like a nice lady, do you want to eat ice cream with me?

No sir, my mother told me never to get into a car with a stranger, Ella laughed. Where are you taking me tonight? she asked, once she was belted into the three hundred kilometer an hour machine.

Nowhere before I tell you how gorgeous you look, Pavel said as he looked at her. Ella had spent a lot of her first paycheck on clothes. That evening she was wearing her favorite article, a classic white evening dress with spaghetti straps and a soft shawl. She'd gone for white heels and was now almost as tall as Pavel. The only article of her outfit she wasn't happy with was her necklace. She'd almost run out of money by the time she'd given any consideration to jewelry, so she'd bought a cheap necklace that she thought looked expensive. Now she regretted having done so.

Thank you, and you look as handsome as ever, Ella replied.

I hope you don't mind, but I would like to spend the evening with you at home. I get a bit fed up of expensive restaurants, most of the are pretentious rip-off establishments. I thought we could have a bottle of wine and talk. It's a lovely evening; we can sit on the terrace.

That will be lovely. You know, that's exactly what I would like to do. Although perhaps I'm a little overdressed for hanging around in your garden.

Don't worry. I'm sure we can find a shirt and a pair of jeans for you.

The drive to Pavel's house took an hour, and as they went along the highway, Ella noticed how many people gaped at the car. When they pulled into the driveway at Windward Hall, Ella looked at the mansion and had to pinch herself. Was she really dating this man, she asked herself?

They went in through the front door. It was the first time Ella had been into the house. At the party, she'd stayed outside all the time, and on their previous dates, Pavel had taken her to restaurants. The entrance hall was large and had a black and white tiled floor. She liked the large gilded mirror and matching candle sticks which adorned the fire place. When they walked through to the sitting room, Ella gasped. Never had she seen such luxury. The room reached the whole height of the building, and she could see the sky through a dome in the roof. The staircase seemed to be made of glass and ran up to an open landing that circled the room. On the floor, Ella noticed an oriental rug in front of two huge white sofas.

Take a seat, I'll get us a drink, he said as he pointed to a sofa. Ella sat down and nearly disappeared into the softness of the cushions. After just a couple of minutes, he returned with a bottle of red wine and two glasses.

Oh, that tastes nice. I don't think I've ever tasted wine that good, Ella said.

It's from Russia. It's a surprising country sometimes. Who would think we can produce wine of this quality. Most people think it's a frozen wasteland. Come with me, he said getting up. Ella followed him, as he walked down a corridor. At the end there was a double door, Pavel held it open for her, and she walked inside. It was a magnificent swimming pool. The whole room was tiled, and the pool was full size, twenty-five meters long. To the side were loungers between palm trees in huge pots that gave the place a Mediterranean feel.