The CEO's Rose

Vivian’s POV

Ryan’s penthouse was big and spacious. The other property where they had eaten in a greenhouse had also been very big.

But now that she was in Ryan’s childhood home, Vivian was realizing that those places had been tiny. The Terrell family home was gigantic!

How Ryan could come from such a place and still be a well-adjusted human being, Vivian had no idea. She got the feeling if she had grown up in such a big space she would have been spoiled to the core. She would have gotten herself a million ponies, built castles, and gotten up to all sorts of mischief.

But luckily she had grown up in a very normal household and as a result Vivian was not a spoiled brat who expected her every whim to be catered to. In fact in that moment what she was, was a very nervous woman who was about to meet her boyfriend’s only living relative. Not only was he Ryan’s grandfather. He was someone who was also incredibly powerful. So Vivian felt she had every right to be feeling nervous.

Despite having told Ryan that she was all right with his grandfather being a bit suspicious of her after the whole Gwendolyn fiasco, Vivian did not like that at all. It was not a good feeling to know that all she had to do was cough wrong. Or maybe look suspicious for one second and his grandfather would decide that she was unworthy of his grandson.

Sure, at the end of the day the decision as to whether or not to stay with her was up to Ryan, but having his grandfather on board was something that Vivian really hoped for. As they were led to where the old man was waiting for them by the butler, Vivian could not help but cross her fingers and hope for the best.

***

They were now sitting in a dining room with a ceiling so high that Vivian had to tilt her head all the way back to see the paintings on it fully. Whoever had done the artwork had not only done so by hand, but they had also been very skilled. Being that she was someone who also enjoyed creating her own pieces Vivian could tell us much, were she not therefore a serious matter, she would have taken her time just staring up at the fine work of art and admiring it.

But when she heard Ryan clearing his throat she immediately stopped looking up and got to her feet when she saw Ryan’s grandfather approaching. The old man’s cane lightly tapping against the floor as he did.

"Good morning Mr Terrell," She greeted.

"Vivian Rose, it is lovely to finally meet you," He said, perfectly polite, but there was no mistake in the fact that he was sizing her up, and she did her best not to curl in on herself at his intense gaze.

When the staff delivered their food, the three of them stayed silent. But the moment that it was just them once again Langston Terrell began questioning her.

"So you are my grandson’s latest girlfriend," The old man asked his tone chilly. Trying not to let the word ’latest’ bug her Vivian nodded. "Yes I am," She answered simply.

"Are you planning to play mind games with him and hurt him like the last one?"

"Grandfather!" Ryan admonished but Vivian appreciated the old man’s directness. If he were to start going round and round in circles that was when she felt she would be truly bothered. So instead of taking offense she shook her head, "I care far too much about Ryan to ever willingly hurt him, so you need not worry about that,"

"Be sure to remember those words and honor them," The old man said warningly and Vivian merely nodded. This was not an individual looking to be wowed with fancy promises. This was a man who just wanted to see his grandson being treated right.

The only way Vivian could show him that she truly cared would be through time, so she did not try to say anything more. Instead she began filling up her plate. Glancing at Ryan, she realized that he had his plate full of pretty much the same things that she had which was toast and some fruit. But on his plate there was one particular fruit missing, the grapes.

Had it not been for the way that he kept eyeing them, she would have believed that they were not on his plate because he did not wish to have them. She stared at the fruit for a few seconds before she finally realized why Ryan was not adding them to his plate.

Rolling her eyes at how childish he was being Vivian gently elbowed him. Then she reached for the grapes and began peeling them for him, doing so one by one and adding them to his plate. Once he had enough, Vivian turned back to her own food and began eating. Halfway through she looked up, and she found Langston Terrell giving her a curious look.

Not sure what it was about, Vivian went back to focusing on her meal, eating much slower, and with more care than usual since she was now aware of the old man’s gaze. When breakfast ended, she expected to just get up and leave with Ryan, but instead Langston Terrell stopped them.

"Vivian my dear, join me for a walk," Ryan stood to go with them but his grandfather held up a hand.

"Not you Ryan, I would like to spend some time with the young lady,"

As they walked through the grounds, her elbow linked with Langston Terrell’s, Vivian’s mind was racing, was this where he was going to tell her to find some place to disappear to and never come back. Was there some sort of test that she had failed without even realizing it?

"The first time that I ever heard of you, your name was dripping like venom from the lips of Gwendolyn Stuart the fourth. She painted such an awful picture of you that I hated you without even knowing you," Vivian nearly stumbled at the words but she kept walking. The old man’s view was to be expected, Gwendolyn was a skilled liar, Vivian knew that much.

"But after I found out the truth, my grandson showed me a picture of you and I found myself liking what I saw, and today after spending only a few minutes in your company, I can tell that not only are you a good woman Vivian Rose, but that you’re also a good match for my grandson. Thank you for being there for him," Vivian had to blink rapidly to keep from crying.

"Know that from this day forward, the two of you have my blessing," With the old man having nothing more to say, they walked back to the house with Vivian barely able to hold in her delight.

He liked her. Ryan’s grandfather really, really liked her!