Rose left the office after work tired and hungry. She arrived home took a shower and laid down on her bed.
Arthur who had been woken up by his son's screams when he woke up. He had carried him directly to the car after he was informed that Rose had left for home with him.
She was still angry with him and he still didn't know what he had done to make her that angry.
He arrived home and gave his sleeping son to Dorothy and went upstairs into his room. He walked to the guestroom Rose was sleeping. He opened the door gently and walked in.
She was laying down on top of the bed with her eye closed. He wanted to get closer but was afraid of waking her up & making things worse.
He moved out gently as he walked in and closed the door. He went into the master's bedroom and took a shower too. The upcoming event was draining them that they had no ounce of walking down for dinner. Dorothy made them simple soup and made each of them take it.
The next morning Rose arrived at work late since she had to take little Arthur to his grandparents. On her arrival, her assistant informed her of a guest in her office who had been waiting for her.
She entered her office only to meet her eyes with a familiar face.
She walked to her seat and stared at the stranger.
"It seems you don't like morning guests?" the stranger said.
"I was going to greet you but then I remembered where I saw," Rose said.
"But we have never met," he said.
"I saw you with my father and his stepdaughter," Rose said. He was the man who walked out of the restaurant that day with her father.
"What do you want? "
Rose wasn't in the mood to deal with her father's dogs so she tried to cut the conversation short.
"You just look like her it almost like your her," he said.
Confused Rose looked at him with disgust, " Please get out of here if your only going to blubber nonsense"
"You look like our mother," he said.
Rose was stunned that she fell silent without nothing to say.
"I can't say more than this cause Dad has my tongue-tied since his first plan failed, he said.
Rose stared at him as he smiled at her shocked face. His face looked familiar the more she looked at it. His smile looked exactly like hers and the same went for his eyes.
He got up fixed his coat and excused himself.
"I would love to sit and chat but am afraid I would destroy your morning working spirit. See you at the Christmas ball little sis " he said and walked out of her office.
Rose watched him leave still lost in a trance of what he had said. Nothing made sense, the words he said had confused her that she felt her headache.
Justin arrived home with a smile on his face. He saw his father and sister in the living room still making plans for Rose and her husband. He was determined to get everything he wanted. But everyone knew Arthur wasn't someone you poke twice and remain intact. He was even surprised to see a pure soul as Rose married to him.
"Just paid a visit to Rose," he said as he walked into the room.
"You WHAT...I told you not to even step a foot near her and you still went ahead and saw her " his father argued.
"It was a simple visit and I didn't say anything stupid, I just told her that she looked like mother and that I will see her at the ball " he smiled as he sat down.
Both his father and step sister almost screamed when they heard what he said.
His father stood up with rage.
"Are you Crazy? why would you tell her that before our plan succeeds " he shouted?
"Father, Rose, and Ralph need to know about mother and me," Justin said.
"And they will but not now or tomorrow. She will start asking questions and end up finding out everything. The ball is when we strike and until then don't approach her again " Richard commanded.
There was silence in the room as Justin locked eyes with his father. He got up from his seat and faced his father.
"You might have got what you wanted that day when you took me away but I lost everything. I lost a chance of being with my mother and sister but instead raised as a replacement for someone " Justin said angrily and then walked away.
"He has never forgiven you for giving him up "
"I know but even until now I have never regretted it," Richard said.
His past always came back to haunt him but he never gave in to any of it. The only thing that hurt him was leaving Rose's mother and looking back even when he got to know she had passed away.
He had accepted the fact a long time ago that he was the most selfish man on earth and that he could do anything to get what he wanted.
He had given up on his wife, his kids for a better life including taking away one to another family. He was heartless and he knew it but didn't feel any ounce of self remorse even when he thought about his horrible acts.
He watched his son walk away in anger but still didn't try to make him feel better. He had four biological children, three from the woman he only loved but shameless left and one from her best friend. After using one to get what ye wanted he discovered how valuable they were. After reaching rock bottom again it was time for his eldest daughter to play her part. But Rose had chosen the wrong man to marry. He was rich and powerful but dangerous, too dangerous for him to manipulate even with Rose on the line.
But he was never one who could give up easily. He was going to try until they gave him what he wanted.
Rose had kept up her guard but at the ball, she would be too busy to notice him there. And that will give him what he wants.