Genre: Romance
Rating: NC 17
Disclaimer : Standard disclaimers apply. The characters belong to Shalz R.
Chapter 5: The Revamping Continues
Stephens started her work in earnest after Ian left. It was difficult for her to plan based on the information she had, which was nearly zero. Not only that she was doing someone else's house so she could not do it as her own, even if the owner wanted and asked her to do so, but also that the plans she had for her own house were only for her own house; she was not willing to share those!
She made detailed plans for the revamping and set to work with a bigger work force than she had ever worked with in the past. The reason being that not only was this a huge estate but also that she had all of two months to finish the work. She also had to keep up the standards of the house, for it was really built well.
All the fireplaces had to be made functional. She decided that the structure of the hall would be changed, and the kitchen and dining hall would follow suit.
She noticed that the right wing had only one bedroom and guessed correctly that it was Ian's. It also had the two-floor library and his study, as also his swimming pool. "He seems to have a very well-defined sense of his personal space, his personal area, his personal things, etc." she noted, "It is a bit odd that his office is on the right. Tyler's office is on the left!" She decided she would shift Ian's office to the left too. But shouldn't she ask his permission? No. He said she had all the liberty. Go ahead.
She smiled and thought, "Ok, Mr. Maxwell. I'll go ahead with my plans."
Tyler's office was partly brought down in order to make place for Ian's office. She also saw the Adrian had no place to call his, so she made space for his office as well. The left wall of Ian's new office, that faced the area meant for parties, had a huge window in it where she intended to put a glass painting of one of Ian's picture. She was an expert at that and decided that this bit of work she would do personally.
Ian's library was not touched. She extended a sit-out around the family room and study, which was under his bedroom. She beautifully used the space thus created around the bedroom by including some into his bedroom and constructing a balcony from the rest of it, connecting it to his swimming pool with a staircase.
The free area of the estate, area that had nothing built in it, with which Ian had always meant to do 'something', was also looked at. She had a huge, deep ditch dug there, designed a huge beautiful artificial waterfall, facing the stables, with the stream meandering right through the width of the estate all the way to the stables. Three huge oak trees stood in a triangle, in the middle of the back of the estate, spreading a large shade under them. She had the stream pass under it, where it extended into a pond for a distance and then again reduced into a stream. Two bridges were built at some distance from the pond on either side of it, and a small beautiful boat meant for just two people was placed in it. Thus conjuring up a beautiful view that Ian would now be able to see from his new bedroom's window. These and many other changes adorned her design tables.
The bedrooms of Tyler and Adrian were also changed. She contacted Ashley and Lauren for this purpose. It was going to be their bedrooms one day, after all. They knew their relationships were going bad, but they were still engaged. Ashley and Lauren got talking to Stephens during these times and found her very sweet and understanding. They would often discuss their relationship problems with her and she would listen very attentively and try to sort them out. They both always had the complaint that their men never found enough time for them. Stephens would tell them that they had known this before they got into these relationships, so why were they complaining now! Besides, if they didn't get time to make calls or visit, then the ladies could do it. Why would they wait for them to call first! Was this some kind of competition, trying to see who calls first! And after lots of discussion, the girls decided that it was worth it to try to give their relationships a chance. After all they had survived it for three years, invested so much in it, not to be given away just because they did not have the time! They both admitted that they still loved the guys, and the guys loved them but sometimes things really got bad. Nevertheless, they were willing to give it a chance.
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Unaware of all this, Ian was immersed in his work. From the moment he had reached Europe, he had forgotten that his house was being re-done. He got totally lost in his work. His attitude had undergone a change.
He did not interact with anyone, especially women on the sets. He had always been uninterested in women but now he avoided them. Unless he was doing a scene with a woman, he kept them at bay. All attempts by Adrian and Tyler were met with the same resistance.
Three weeks after they had landed in Europe, Mrs. Maxwell came to visit Ian, as she had planned to. That she was in Europe at that time was of course 'incidental'. Her arrival obviously had Ian surprised. That was the only time when he actually got out of his room for reasons besides shooting. She stayed for two days.
Her stay, however, did not leave her satisfied. Ian hadn't gotten over it. She had felt that the new place, new people, and work would get his mind off it. But it had not. Ian still was not able to forget it. He still was not able to get it out of his mind. It had been more than a month since that fateful day, and Ian was still as lost.
Tyler and Adrian looked happier; they had received good news from the home front, both their girls were willing to give their relationship a chance and they were all for it. They could not understand where this change was coming from, in both of them at the same time, but it was for good. They held long talks on phone and decided that another chance was worth it.
The day after Mrs. Maxwell left, Ian got another shocking news. His father had been attacked again, after three years. Unsuccessful though the attempt was, thanks to his bodyguards, it still unnerved Ian and he rushed to see his father, if only for a few days. Tyler stayed behind to manage his dates; Adrian however, accompanied him.
Ian reached N. Y the next day. The senior Maxwell had escaped unhurt and was all right. Ian stayed with him for three days. On the third day, he planned his return. Mrs. Maxwell, however, asked him to go home for a while and see how the work was getting on. He did not wish to go there; it would mean having to deal with Stephens again, but Adrian requested him; now that they were here, he wanted to see Ashley before he went again. It would be another month or so before he could return. Ian understood this, and for his sake agreed to go home for a day.
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