The Inescapable Celibate Heir Chapter 52: The Smith Mansion

Victoria: [I got no plans for the weekend. If Ethan's free, I'm down.]

Ethan finally chimed in: [Cool.]

They decided on Saturday, after 10 AM, to hit up The Smith Mansion. The elders of the Smith family would be out that day, and the group chat was buzzing with excitement.

After saying goodnight, Victoria turned off her phone and crashed.

So, she missed Ethan's private message: [I'll pick you up the day after tomorrow, goodnight.]

Saturday morning, just before 9 AM, Ethan showed up.

The Hamilton family had just wrapped up breakfast, and everyone was around.

Butler Isaiah walked in, "Mr. Hamilton, Mrs. Hamilton, Mr. Smith is here."

David said, "Let him in."

Ethan strolled in, rocking a casual shirt and trousers in dark gray, looking sharp and classy.

He walked in with a spring in his step and greeted David and Diana, "Mr. Hamilton, Mrs. Hamilton, good morning."

Samuel was fixing his tie, getting ready to head out. Seeing Ethan, he grinned and asked, "Ethan, what brings you here?"

Ethan nodded, "Samuel, I'm here to pick up Victoria."

Victoria quickly wiped the bread crumbs from her mouth and explained, "We planned to go to The Smith Mansion today with Eric and the others. It's my first time going, so I don't know the way. He came to pick me up."

The Smith and Hamilton families were tight, both being top dogs in politics and business, always working together and reaping the benefits.

David and Ethan's dad, Manuel Smith, were childhood buddies.

So they knew Ethan well, trusted him, and felt comfortable letting Victoria go to his place.

Victoria quietly asked Ethan, "Why'd you come so early? Is your place far?"

Ethan shook his head, "I had nothing better to do."

Truth was, he had been there for a while, circling The Hamilton Mansion a few times, making sure it wasn't too early before heading in.

Since it was Victoria's first time visiting his place, he had been overseeing the servants' cleaning since the night before, rearranging all the flowers and decorations, just to make a perfect first impression on her!

"Alright," Victoria nodded.

Diana left for a moment and came back with a box.

"Victoria, when visiting the Smith family, even if it's just a casual hangout, you should still bring a gift."

Victoria obediently took it.

Ethan politely declined, "Mrs. Hamilton, that's not necessary."

Diana smiled, "That's not right, Victoria is still young and doesn't understand these things, but as parents, we must be considerate."

Ethan didn't argue further, respecting the elders.

The maid brought Flora, and Victoria took it along.

Ethan led the way, with Victoria following closely behind, along with a cute pet, making a harmonious scene.

The two sat in the back seat of the car, and Victoria loosened Flora's collar, letting it roam around.

Flora was at a mischievous age, often chewing on Victoria's carpet and shoes at home, completely disobedient.

If Victoria gently patted its butt to discipline it, Flora would think Victoria was playing and bite her fingers even more energetically.

However, in front of Ethan, the little leopard was much more well-behaved today. It didn't even touch the edge of Ethan's clothes, and when Ethan looked at it, its cries instantly softened.

Noticing this, Victoria laughed out loud. "Flora is so scared of you; is this the legendary aura?"

Ethan smiled, "You don't seem to be scared."

Victoria said, "You haven't scolded me, what should I be afraid of?"

Ethan's tone suddenly became very gentle, "I will never scold you."

Victoria's gaze locked with his, and she was taken aback by the intensity in his deep-set eyes.

She quickly turned to the window, "This wall is quite high, how far is your house?"

"This is all my house."

Turned out, they had been cruising around the outer wall of The Smith Mansion for a bit. The wall, made of massive stones, looked like something out of a medieval city, but it was just the outer wall of The Smith Mansion.

They were getting close to the main gate.

Hopping out of the car, they saw two tall red lacquered doors, decked out with intricate carvings and grand pillars, giving off a vibe of noble grandeur!

It was seriously impressive, with green relief glass on the eaves reflecting beautiful, colorful light in the sunlight.

Victoria's eyes were wide with amazement.

Ethan let out a sigh of relief, happy she liked it.

Nick and the others were already there, waiting at the door. The five of them headed in together.

As they walked, Nick said, "Victoria, what do you think? Worth the trip, right? The Smith Mansion is nothing like what you see on TV. They wouldn't dare to use this real mansion for filming."

Victoria nodded. Compared to The Smith Mansion, the small estates in film studios were really shabby.

But this mansion wasn't just old-school; it had modern tech integrated seamlessly.

For example, the heavy door had a drive and iris recognition. When Ethan stepped forward to scan his face, it automatically opened slowly.

It was super high-tech!

Inside the mansion, it was full of ancient charm, with long corridors, ancient tree bonsais, and rockery waterfalls.

They arrived at the hall, where the servants had already set up refreshments.

Sitting on high-quality leather chairs, smelling the faint aroma in the air, and holding a cup, Victoria really felt like she had traveled back in time.

Both The Smith Mansion and The Hamilton Mansion were top-tier luxury, but their styles were different. 

The Hamilton Mansion was more modern, flaunting its wealth; The Smith Mansion had a historical charm that only those with cultural background could appreciate how rare these wooden and stone artworks were.

In The Smith Mansion, everyone spoke more seriously.

Victoria joked, "Ethan, I can't call you by your name anymore; I should call you Duke Smith."

Nick burst out laughing, then quickly covered his mouth to stifle his laughter.

Ethan looked at Victoria with a deep, intense gaze, "Are you sure?"

Victoria couldn't respond, suddenly feeling shy under Ethan's burning gaze, and fell silent.

Eric stepped in to help, "There's nothing here, let's go explore other places."

The Smith Mansion was huge, with different beautiful sceneries every few steps, perfect for sightseeing.

They came to the east courtyard, where Ethan lived.

Victoria looked around curiously, seeing a grove of maple trees and a harp in the pavilion nearby.

Victoria turned to Ethan in surprise, "You can play the harp?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow, "A little."

"Then play us a piece." Victoria was genuinely interested. She had once learned the harp for a role, finding it very difficult, and after a month of hard practice, she had only mastered the basics, without any artistic expression.

Eric clapped his hands in approval, "Ethan is not just a little skilled. I heard him play once when he was eighteen; it was at a master's level!"

Nick chimed in, "Yeah, I don't know much about it, but it was really beautiful!"

Ethan's mom, Audrey Carroll, was a classical musician and had a good relationship with Diana. One sang and the other danced, making them famous in Sunhaven.

Ethan had inherited Audrey's musical talent well, and he loved the harp the most, though it was hard to find someone who appreciated it.

He glanced at Victoria, "Do you really want to hear?"

"Yes." Victoria blinked, her big eyes sparkling.

Ethan was silent for a moment, then nodded.

After washing his hands, he sat at the harp.

The four of them sat on a stone bench nearby, munching on fruit and refreshments.

Roy sighed, "Today, we are lucky to hear Ethan play the harp, all thanks to Victoria."

Victoria patted Flora's head, telling it to be quiet.