Her face was wiped to the side with crisp painful sounds. Elder Ghoul trembling form stared at Lana like she was the ban of his existence, if it wasn't for his son who held him, he would have landed another slap on her.
He roughly shrugged off his son's hands despite is ageing form, his expression hardened
as he watched his daughter in-law hold his grand daughter.
"Mathew! What have you been teaching this child?"
"Father, I?"
Mr Ghoul was now concerned about the fact that his father had now publicly humiliated him. He was mostly concerned about his reputation.
Lana had turned pale in pain. Her grand father might be old but he had used a lot of strength in hitting her, her cheek still thumbed painfully.
But what she couldn't accept was that her grandfather had actually hit her, and for whom? a nobody.
"Grandpa.... I?"
"Enough!!! Apologize right this instant."
Retribution stuck her throat, her lower lip trembled as she held tightly her hands to her still thumbing cheeks. She couldn't even look at anybody in the eyes. She felt a deep feeling shame.
"I apologize Miss Rose."
The expression on Rose's face had long since closed up, once simply couldn't read what went through her mind.
Her trimmed brows finally roses in a bored manner. Rose saw this whole drama, this whole scene as neutral. They were nothing compared to what happened in the past.
"I am not the one you should be asking for an apology."
Lana brow twisted upwards. Even Elder Ghoul and the others stared back in confusion.
Rose sigh helplessly.
"Apologize to my father..... And my family."
A look of recognizing flashed through Elder Ghoul's eyes, he saw for himself what a good child Rose was, despite everything she still considered her family above herself. Pity, if only his grand daughter was like that.
Not only Elder Ghoul but most of the guests saw Rose as a sensible child. Since the accusation started she hadn't lost her temper, she was composed although and that was a trait hard to find.
Lana found her ridiculous, she could only humped her hands tightening it into fists before turning to Dywen.
"I'm really sorry Uncle, I have caused inconvenience because of my love and my concern for this family that I consider as mine. I didn't mean to create any distress. Please do forgive me."
"Alright."
Dywen accepted her apology with a gentle rub to her head before he turned to leave.
Lana threw a glance towards Rose, her eyes burning with hatred before she followed after Dywen, her mother rushing to her side consoling her.
A look of mockery appeared on Rose's face as she watched her childish behaviour, she smirked with a light shake of her head before also walking off.
Some people are more interested in other people's lives than their own so when the crowd saw that the show was over, they slowly disperse , going back to their normal chattering.
"Rose!!"
Eric was guilt ridden by the whole event, his hazel eyes looked extremely tired when the party hadn't even began yet. He felt incompatible, that he hadn't done enough.
Stopping at the sound of her name, Rose deliberated for a while before concluding that Eric had so much to learn from this social world. He wasn't that good in running the Firm business and when it came to debates, he didn't know which emotion was best suited to win.
An occurrence in the past once gave Rose an insight, now if only she could remember maybe she can help him or maybe she should let him learn.
"Rose, I'm sorry about Lana. I mean I didn't realize Lana was like this. She used to me a very sensible girl right from our childhood, I still don't know what happened."
"It's alright Eric, I have no issue with you."
"Thank you. I just can't get why Lana behaved like this."
Rose knew.
She also knew that in this world there's always a person that you hate for no reason.
Lana wants so badly for Eric and his family to be the reason for her hatred.
Rose gave Eric a scncotizing look like he was stupid, even she an outsider who only arrived three years ago had understood Lana so much despite the fact that they had only met 5 times during those years.
"Do I really need to spell it out for you?", She drawled out boredly, a teasing smile stretching to form a smirk.
"What?"
"She likes you dumbass."
Eric almost bit his tongue.
He was spelled by the lay-back appearance she portraited, he continuously stared at the beautiful goddess like a fool.
A huge part of him had clearly misinterpreted her words to 'I like you dumbass and she knows that.' While the other - well it was still finding itself difficult to register in his brain.
"Come again?"
Rose dragged her limpid jewel-like
eyes up at his towering frame to lock eyes with him just like she had done when she had first arrived.
She first appreciated his bright hazel brown eyes with with thick eyelashes, up to his windblown dark hair neatly combed, his sharp cheekbones, clean-shaven chiseled, and full pink lips.
Eric was one of those guy ladies would drop dead at his smile, his face was meant to be at the front cover of a business magazine. He was beautifully handsome.
She could only smile in a teasing manner walking off leaving the handsome hunk completely speechless.
Silence speak very loudly but it is amazing how many people don't take the time to listen.
From afar the Irish woman had watched their encounter with a smile on her face.
Her eyes showed pity at the hopeless man who was hopelessly in love with his best friend yet was too scared to confess to her.
For as far as she and the family knew, all Eric ever talked about was Rose. 'Rose this, Rose that' He cared so much about her even more than the person concerned. But the problem was that this was a one sided love.
Fiona knew Rose didn't feel the same. She could also see that she was scared of attachments from the scared and vacant looks she always had in passing in her eyes, that her only source of a bit of happiness became her only child, the child she loved wholeheartedly, yet who could explain why she still had reluctant when expressing her love.
Her behaviour is like that of an old emperor who prefers actions than spoken words, and it's those simple words a child yearns. Those spoken alternate words of wisdom.
But at still the saying that everyone has someone in their life that keeps them looking forward to another day still implies to Rose.
Her past always had one wonder what tragedies she had gone through. Did she have numerous debts in her past lives that she was paying for?
Nessa wasn't that older than she was yet Rose looked like she had already fought with the world and came back a broken shell, like a continuous vicious circle.
The whole family wants nothing but to help her heal.
Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.
Rose deserves more. She deserves to walk the hallway with a carefree and a bright smile on her face like kids in her age-group not that guarded look against enemies or the look of anticipation like something is going to come up and get her.
Nessa was aware of the whispers people spoke behind her back, some good, some not so good, some just purely based on jealousy.
But who wouldn't.
Rose wasn't just beautiful, she had brains. A charming woman is a busy woman, she was a girl who knew how to be successful even when she was sad and that's her. She chose to be oblivious to those whispers, but not her family.
Their hearts aches for the lonely girl walking in a straight line towards a dark and eerie pathway.
Nessa continued to watch her back view till she disappeared from view, she also admit that she indeed saw a woman with virtue, but Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors. Whoever was to say otherwise was simply blind. Rose did practice virtue but unfortunately amongst the sea of face people she stood out.
"Honey?", Almost driven to frustration, Nessa turned to the man beside her talking to another couple. She called out like a soft whisper to the man who shared slight resemblance to his younger brother.
Excusing himself from his talk he turned to his beautiful wife with a dotting look in his eyes that was rare to others, "Yes my love?"
Biting her lower lip, Nessa expressed the pain in her heart through her deep-set tear filled eyes, her eyes were as black as a moonless night with tear drop on them they looked enchanting.
"Honey, I worry. Just how long..... For how long will Rose suffer in silence? My heart continuously ache watching her like this, smiling on the outside but..... 'sigh' dieing inside."
Paul Bacheman felt the full force of emotions from the eyes of his wife, moreover he had directed them both to a corner while he gathered his thoughts and emotions. Paul had always seen Rose as his younger sister even if he appears stern or refuses her authority in the company, there was still a soft spot in his heart for her.
He recalled the first time he met Rose, he had wanted to give her a helping hand to stand on her feet but she bluntly refused him. 'I do not need a brother like you, I need a business partner. So? What say you.' He didn't take issue with her for her words even if he did how could he. He saw a young lady with a fierce spirit, it was those trait that made him know she might look delicate but wasn't to be messed with.
"One can never know the workings of fate, my love. But I believe it will change soon."
Nessa held the edge of his suit in a tight hold as she took in a sharp breath.
"Is Father still set on his plan?"
He gave mirthless laugh,
"You should know father best, once he puts his mind into something he does it no matter what, like now for example. The business isn't doing well yet father is trying all his possible best to make sure my sister benefits from it at the end."
Indeed Nessa knew her father in - law well, he was a good man with a big heart but still she couldn't help but reflect. This was a matter of two lives and if possible three.
"I don't know Honey. Are we doing the right thing? It's a big risk."
"If we don't take action now, I fear by then it will be too late."
Tears glittered her eyes as she looked in the direction she had last seen Rose. She couldn't help but lament pitifully.
"Oh! poor Rose.... Poor Kiara. I will pray for the Messiah of Saint Patrick to always be with you both."