Paris was like a dream.

The drive from the airport to the city was longer than I expected, but I enjoyed the passing views from the windows. Adelaide explained to me that Grandfather's mansion was close to the heart of Paris, and had a grand view of the Eiffel Tower from some of the rooms. I could finally feel excitement growing in my chest when we reached the outskirts of the city of love, and it only grew when we entered it.

The streets were beautiful, cream colored buildings and apartments leading into shops with colorful signs and posters. People poured out from doors and crowds filled the sidewalks, all of them a conglomeration of tourists and native French residents. Restaurants were delivered produce from trucks with French writing on the side and people sitting at coffee shops and bakeries seemed to be without a care in the world as they watched the world go by. Cars, motorcycles, mopeds, all of them zoomed down Paris' busy streets.

My eyes had spotted popular Parisian tourist sights like Sacré-Cœur and plenty of museums including the Louvre as we drove over the Seine river and closer to the Eiffel Tower that lingered in the distance. My feet started tapping in anticipation as we got off main roads and drove around fancy mansions and grand houses. We were getting closer to the Chevalier mansion, and my heart was fluttering in my chest as I stared out the windows.

The limo turned onto a small street suddenly, my eyes widening as I saw a huge black wrought-iron gate approaching in the front windshield view. A cursive letter C was in the middle of the huge gate, and it split in two as the limo driver pressed a button on a small controller by the dashboard. My face was practically pressed against the window in awe as I watched the gate slide open and the limo continue on its way up the drive.

My hand had pressed up against my chest when I saw the beautiful gardens surrounding the glistening brick mansion-no, this wasn't a mansion. This was a freaking palace, it was so big.

The brick in the sun made it seem like the whole mansion was painted in a dusty rose color except for the very middle, which was white stone inlaid with white paned glass windows. Green ivy had crawled up the sides of the mansion and provided a nice contrast to the cream colored roof. Countless windows covered the beautiful mansion, more than I could count as we drove through the perfectly landscaped gardens and bushes to the garage.

The limo finally stopped at a huge garage to the side of the mansion, Adelaide and Maurice hurrying out of the car. Maurice went to the back of the limo to grab my bags while Adelaide checked something on her iPhone as she stepped out before helping me.

"Your grandfather is in an important meeting, so he will greet you later when he comes home." Adelaide informed me as she led me to the side door of the mansion, opening it for me. I stepped in and found I must have been in the kitchen, black and white tile laid in the floor as maids and butlers bustled around the huge room. Shining silver cooking pots and pans hung from a rack on the ceiling, and freshly cleaned stovetops and ovens gleamed in the afternoon light.

"Come on, I have so much to show you." Adelaide smiled at me as she took my hand and led me out of the busy kitchen. The kitchen led to a hallway with more doors, Adelaide informing me those were more functional rooms meant for laundry and storing cleaning supplies. I was tugged down the hall and around corners to the main lobby by the entrance, my wide eyes taking in the expensive décor all around me. A glittering crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and fancy paintings and artwork hung from the walls. Couches and chairs probably worth more than my whole room put together back home were scattered around, and a huge marble staircase led to a second floor.

I hardly had time to take everything in before Adelaide had led me up the stairs. How on Earth was this where Grandfather lived? I mean, sure, I knew he was well off. I knew he was wealthy, but I wasn't expecting this. I was pretty sure he was a businessman, but did French businessmen and financial advisors live this well? Apparently so.

Adelaide's mouth was moving a mile a minute, spouting off facts and explaining the layout of the mansion. Apparently we were headed to my room before she would take me out to the back gardens, and after a few turns down hallways, we arrived. The doors were pristine white and had golden handles, Adelaide pulling both double doors open to reveal my bedroom for the summer.

My mouth had dropped wide open as I stared at the extravagant room before me. One of the walls was completely covered in golden swirls that must have been some kind of decal on the wall, and another wall had been replaced with another set of double doors that led to a little personal balcony. A small chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling, which was white with golden stripes creating diamond shapes in it. The wooden floors had several white fluffy rugs laying about, and the bed looked like something a professional designer would have picked out, with a black leather headboard quilted to look like a Chanel handbag. The sheets were ridiculously soft and in shades of white, champagne, and glistening gold. Numerous puffy pillows were placed along the headboard that my hand practically sunk into when I pressed against them. I saw two nightstands with matching black lamps to the side of the bed, a note placed on one with my name on it.

I picked the note up to read, but Adelaide had been begging me to come over to another room connected to the bedroom. I was curious as to what this room was, my initials written in swirling golden metal confirming whatever was behind the door was mine.

"This is my absolute favorite part of the whole room." Adelaide was almost jumping in place as she swung the door open, revealing quite honestly the biggest walk-in closet I had ever seen in my room.

Everything I could ever want to wear was inside, from fancy designer dresses to expensive heels to even more expensive handbags. I gasped as I found some of the labels on the clothes, discovering this closet was probably worth more than Grace and my houses put together, plus the cars. Louis Vuitton, Alexander Wang, Prada, Chanel, Versace, Gucci...any brand you could ever dream about had at east one piece inside the closet. There was so much room in the huge closet that there was even space for several drawings of dresses and outfits to hang in fancy frames on the walls.

"Those are some of Marc Jacobs' original first sketches of his ready-to-wear collection for Louis Vuitton. Aren't they fabulous?" Adelaide gushed to me happily, my weak answer only a nod.

My shaking fingertips had barely touched the details on a beautiful Givenchy bag before Adelaide called me over to what looked like a cabinet to hold more clothes.

"Here." Adelaide showed me a keypad with numbers on it, my brows furrowing when I wondered why a cabinet would need a keypad. "Put in any four digit code. Make sure you remember it though, this is important."

I stared at my grandfather's assistant in confusion before shrugging and entering the code to my iPhone, the code saving into the keypad memory before one of the top drawers opened.

"No outfit would ever be complete without some accessories." Adelaide grinned happily before pulling out the drawer more, my hand pressing to my chest as I saw sparkling jewels hidden inside the drawer. Necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, all of them were there.

"Your grandfather adores Tiffany's, all the jewelry is from there." She smiled at me, my heart pumping quickly in my chest as I stared over the various diamond, silver, and gold jewelry. This was unbelievable. How on Earth could my grandfather afford all of this?

My gaze flickered back to the note still in my hand, my trembling fingers hurrying to open it up and read it.

Dearest Marie Cosette,

I hope you like your new bedroom that I had designed especially for you. So many interior designers had so many different ideas, but I shooed them all away until I found one who understood how precious you are to me. No expense was spared in the design or development of your bedroom, no price tag too much for my beautiful granddaughter. Do you like the closet? I'll admit I may have splurged a bit, but what grandparent doesn't spoil their grandchild? I really do hope you'll enjoy your time here. I'll see you later this evening when I am finished with work.

Love, Grandfather

The note hadn't settled me like I had hoped. Instead, it made me feel like I was on a sugar high, about to bounce off the walls like a child. My heart was racing, my eyes kept darting around my bedroom and closet in amazement. This was like a dream, I kept waiting for the moment Mom would shake me awake or my alarm would blare and wake me up. I even pinched myself to see if I was asleep, but I felt the pain perfectly fine.

All of this was real. This was insane, absolutely unbelievable, and yet here it was right before my eyes. Was Grandfather really a businessman? I was starting to wonder if maybe I had some kind of royal blood flowing through my bloodline. That would be a logical explanation for all of this.

Adelaide had left my room shortly after Maurice had brought my luggage up, both of them leaving so I could accommodate and unpack before Grandfather arrived. I had flopped back on the bed, my skin relishing in the feel of soft Egyptian cotton. I had to take a deep breath before I felt the smile appear on my face, a little squeal of excitement the only sound I made as I rushed back into the closet to try anything and everything on.

A/N: I cannot tell you how hard it has been lately for me to write, I've been suffering from the worst writers block/lack of motivation ever. Thankfully, I managed to push through hard times and finish this chapter! I hope you like it!

Vote and comment! -Maddie