*Slap*
Inside a medium sized office in the Olsen group, Rosalyn held her cheek, staring wide-eyed at her boyfriend, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Did he just hit her?
She had come here today to gently confront him, to ask about the rumours that had been going around the office. It wasn't really a big deal, but since she had even heard people gossiping in the office elevator, she decided it was time to mention it.
Little did she expect that as soon as she asked, he would slap her.
"Rosalyn, how could you ask me such a thing? Haven't I always been good to you? How could you believe that I would cheat?" Mark grilled, staring daggers at her.
She and Mark had been together for almost 2 years now. They had met clubbing a few years back and hit it off. They had stayed connected for half a year before deciding to officially start dating.
It was originally his voice that attracted Rosalyn, even before she had seen his face.
At the time, Mark was recovering from a cold and his voice was a bit deeper than it was normally. Rosalyn didn't know why, but there was something familiar about that dark, almost raspy voice, that instantly piqued her attention.
Seeing the man behind the voice, she had first felt slightly disappointed about his flashy appearance. Somehow it didn't match the voice. The owner of such a voice should be... She didn't know. More?
Still in shock, Rosalyn just looked at Mark, not knowing what to say. He had in fact always treated her well. Or else she wouldn't have been with him. This was also the reason why she had come here today to ask him about the rumours and clear the air.
"How could you think I am cheating on you? And with Amanda, no less!" Mark continued, his voice getting more and more heated while seemingly not bothered by Rosalyn not answering.
"She is a good friend of yours, isn't she? Just because she is my secretary, you shouldn't believe that all stereotypes are true," he argued.
Rosalyn finally got her senses back and lowered her hand. Looking straight at Mark, he didn't notice that her eyes had gotten colder as he was speaking.
"Mark, how could you hit me?" Her voice was cold as she looked at him, her back straight.
"How could I hit you? How could I not, when you come her accusing me of such things! You might not understand, because of your low birth, but I also have my own family name to think of."
Rosalyn took a step back, trying to distance herself from Mark and his more and more vicious remarks. He had never talked negatively about her birth before, even going as far as to say that such things didn't matter to him.
Their relationship had started so well, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that Mark was getting pressured by the differences of their birth. And he was taking it out on her.
Even if Mark was not the heir of the Olsen group, he was the first son of the second branch, with many expectations placed on him. He had brushed her off in the beginning when she first started noticing how it affected his mood.
Mark was the head of his family company's PR department, and he was good at his job. But it was also true that he wouldn't have gotten such a high position, at such a young age, without the help of his parents.
With his parents putting pressure on him and his position in the company, it would seem he was at his wits end.
Rosalyn had tried many times to talk about this with him, but he refused to talk about it, only saying that he had it under control and for her not to worry.
Taking a deep breath, Rosalyn sighted deeply, before moving past Mark towards the couch on the other side of the office.
"Mark, sit down. I think we need to talk," gently crossing her legs, she put her hands on her lap.
She looked up at him, as he was still standing on the middle of the floor, his emotions still not under control.
"Mark," she said again, finally getting his attention.
He looked at her, sitting there fully composed. Finally, he realized that her eyes lacked any form of warmth.
Rather, they looked freezing cold.
For as long as he had known her, Rosalyn had always been a cold and reserved person. This was what he most appreciated about her. A woman befitting for someone of his status.
She was perfect in this regard. Never letting anything affect her. Always cold and above everything happening around her. She was regal.
He still remembered when he first met her. He had first misunderstood that she was annoyed with him, as she looked at him with her cold expression. But the longer she looked, the more he got curious. And that was when he saw it, the glimmer in her eyes.
She was looking at him as if he was a puzzle she couldn't solve. Like he was an enigma of mysterious origin. Like he was more than just a flashy heir.
So, he had pursued her, and half a year later, she was finally his. The more he interacted with her, the more he saw of her elegant actions intelligent mind.
But she remained cold, her emotions rarely fluctuating.
Sometimes he would say something or act in a certain way and her gaze would waver. As if there was a disconnect between her expectations and the reality that was him. And every time, a conflict would ensue within him. The fight between his pride as an heir with his feeling of superiority and wanting to be the one Rosalyn expected.
Observing closer at her sitting on his couch, he suddenly had a feeling something was wrong. Gazing at her a bit longer, he eventually went towards her and sat opposite her with, the white coffee table between them.
In the middle of the table was a vase with flowers; candytufts and yellow carnations. Their scent gently whisking between them.
"Rosalyn, I really can't understand what's going through that head of yours," Mark sighted. He tiredly drew his hand through his hair, messing up his carefully styled look. He would never admit to the mistake he had made, for that would mean the end. His pride would not allow it.
"Mark, about the rumour- " before she could even complete her sentence, Mark cut her off.
"Rosalyn! Really, how could you still go on about that?!" Mark was once again on his feet, looking down on Rosalyn as he rebuked her.
"Mark-" Rosalyn tried again, but once again Mark cut her off.
"Rosalyn, really! How can you not believe me? Okay, so me and Amanda are close, but that's all! You knew this when we got together, so why care about such rumours now?" he angrily cussed in his mind, trying to find a way out.
Mark had now started pacing around his office clearly agitated.
"This is why everyone is saying I shouldn't be with someone below my standing, Rosalyn. They all told me, that you would never understand what is expected of young heirs. And look at you now!" his voice came out as a frustrated groan, his hand once again combing through his hair.
His pacing finally stopped as he looked exasperated towards the couch, where she was still sitting composed with the same neutral expression.
"Rosalyn, you have to ignore rumours like this in the future. It doesn't look good if you get hung up on every little thing any random person says," he disapproved.
His voice had slowly changed from the agitated state he was in before, to a more lecturing tone.
"Okay, Rosalyn? Do you understand now? I am busy at work and don't have time for you to come here and start fussing about rumours all the time. Cesare Accardi is returning to the country any day now, and the whole company is working around the clock preparing business proposals and upcoming promotional events."
He gave her a small smile, seemingly forgiving her for believing in such rumours about his infidelity.
"You have to understand Rosalyn that I am not only in a high position, but I am also the young master of the Olsen family's second branch. There are bound to be rumours about me from time to time. People are simply jealous. So don't think about this more now. Okay?"
He finally went over to her by the couch and gently took her hand in his.
"Now, we have a dinner reservation tomorrow, we can talk more then, okay?" He said, his voice placating. He would have more time to plan before then.
After once again saying his piece without waiting for Rosalyn to respond, he tried to guide her off the couch to lead her out.
Rosalyn saw through his obvious attempt to end the conversation.
Rosalyn, standing up, didn't move towards the door as he tried to guide her, but rather stood still, holding her ground.
"Mark, this is not how you have a conversation," she simply told him, her cold eyes meeting his.
"You are right that I am not from a prominent family, and my family can only be considered higher middle class-"
He tried to cut her off, but she continued before he got the chance.
"But communication is key in any relationship. We have always talked things out, whenever something has happened. And maybe you're right, maybe there will be more rumours like this in the future. But-", she took a deep breath.
"That is only all the more reason to talk about it, so it doesn't create a rift in our relationship."
She looked straight at him, trying to make him understand where she came from. Trying to make him understand why she wanted them to talk it out and not leave it to fester. She had always been one to take care of any situation as it happened, finding it more convenient.
She was trying to be understanding of why he was talking to her like this. Repeatedly reminding herself that he was under a lot of stress, and that his parents and were putting pressure on his position. She hadn't actually thought he was cheating.
She tried to remind herself that they had always talked things through. Their communication was good. Yes, the fact that he was overly defensive today was probably because he was under a lot of stress. Right...?
"Mark, do you really not want to talk- "
*Knock knock*
Before she could finish her sentence, there was a knock on the door before it opened and Amanda stepped in.
She was wearing a tight pencil skirt paired with a white blouse, her blond hair gently swaying around her shoulders.
"Mark, there is an important document you need to sign, I forgot to give it to you with the others earlier-" her cheery voice started but quickly died out.
Amanda, having had her head down looking at the document as she walked in, finally noticed that Rosalyn was also in the office. Looking at their stance, it was obvious that they in the middle of something.
"Oh..." She gave a small apologetic smile to Mark. "I am sorry, Mark. I didn't know that you were talking to Rosalyn," she quietly clarified, her eyes lowered.
Looking over at Rosalyn, she gave an understanding smile and chided, "Rosalyn, I hope you didn't come to cause trouble for Mark? It's only a small rumour, you should be more forgiving."
She even nodded to herself, as if convinced by her own words.
"You might not know how it is, but it is quite common for there to be some rumours when one comes from a prestigious family. And there were so many young, prominent women that were sad when he got in a relationship with you..."
Amanda quickly waved her hands and hurriedly tried to clarify as if just noticing that there was something wrong with her choice of words.
"I didn't mean anything bad about you not being from a prominent family… It's just that there are naturally some differences between the way we all grew up. Even with me and Mark, even if the difference isn't as big as between you two, there will be some differences with him being the first son of his branch. And then with you, coming from a family that doesn't really even have branches…"
Rosalyn furrowed her brows. Feeling that Amanda's words were getting more and more out of hand, tried to cut her off.
"Amanda- "
"I know, I know Rosalyn. I didn't mean anything bad," she gave a small smile to Mark asking for his understanding with her eyes.
"As you know Mark, people like us get raised differently than people like Rosalyn." Giving a small smile to Rosalyn, she continued; "We are raised learning how to deal with rumours, how to not bother our partner at work for every little thing. You can't just assume that someone like Rosalyn, who is from a middle class family, will just know these things. There are simply to many of these little differences that you will just have to be patient with while she learns."
Though her words were obviously said in a chiding tone to Mark, the implication was impossible to ignore.