While waiting for Mr. Smith, who was out making a call, Rosalyn looked at her phone. Seeing a new message from her sister, she furrowed her brows.
There shouldn't be any reason for her to send a text now? They had just talked a few hours ago...
Looking at the text, her brows furrowed further.
"Sister, no need to thank me! I contacted Mark for you and explained what happened, like how we agreed upon. You are back together! And he has already given me money for my outfit. You should have told me he was so generous! Either way, you're welcome!"
Rosalyn stared baffled at the text for what seemed like forever.
How was she supposed to make it clear cut from Mark now? Everything had just gotten a whole lot more complicated...
Feeling her energy draining at a rapid pace, she let out a big sigh. Rubbing her temples she contemplated responding to the text, but ultimately decided against it. The damage was already done.
Rosalyn put her phone back in her purse while trying to gather her thoughts. She was still in the middle of a meeting.
Using the time while Mr. Smith was out of the room, she pondered on how she was supposed to deal with Mark later.
Just tell him outright that Chloe made up the story so that he would give her money? It was risky. If he wanted to retaliate, she would be powerless to defend her younger sister from his ire.
Maybe try to say that her younger sister misunderstood? It sounded too much like an excuse...
As she was pondering other ways to break it to Mark, Mr. Smith returned, still all smiles.
Deciding to put it to the back of her mind for the moment, Rosalyn faced him with a polite smile on her face.
"Miss Bell, I just talked with my superior, and he has given the green light," he chatted happily.
"That's good to hear, Mr. Smith," Rosalyn responded back, giving the man a polite smile.
"So, we will keep the prices with your company as we have had up to now, until this new deal goes through. I will bring it back with me to my company, and we will contact you shortly as soon as we have reviewed it." Mr. Smith was still all smiles.
"That sounds good. Please contact us if you want to make any changes, or if you have any questions from your side, Mr. Smith."
Rosalyn offered her hand, and as they shook hands, Mr. Smith replied, "Of course, Of course, Miss Bell. Expect happy news soon."
Rosalyn, looking at Mr. Smith now packing his briefcase, couldn't help but wonder how he could be so different from how Elliott had described him. Or at least one of the ways he was described.
Deciding that she wouldn't get her answer just thinking about it, she decided to just ask him out-right.
"Excuse me, Mr. Smith, but you are quite different from what I had heard about you..."
Rosalyn started, getting his attention.
"Oh, what had you heard about me?" He asked back.
"Well, your name precedes you. But mostly just that I should be cautious when meeting with you… It seems there has been quite the divide in how people feel after having a meeting with you," Rosalyn explained.
Mr. Smith took some time to think over her words before he slowly responded.
"There might be quite a few reasons that play into this," he started.
"Firstly, I would like to think that I am mostly professional and polite in all my meetings, as long as the other party treat me the same way in return…" he then gave a little laugh.
"But miss Bell, as I am sure you are aware, not everyone we meet in this line of business are. Some are plain racist, some hide it a bit better and some simply come to waste my time with proposal that are bound to fail," slightly shaking his head, he let out a small sigh.
"But for those that don't fall into any of those categories, I believe I am quite fair. Well, I am of course a businessman, so I still use my astute insights to make a fair judgement when I meet someone." As he said the last part, he proudly tapped his temple, giving another small laugh.
"Hmm… Truly," was all Rosalyn answered, giving a small smile in return.
She might have to warn Elliott that some of his contacts might not be the best people to be associated with.
Especially if they were racist.
On the other hand, if they were just bad at business, or too hopeful with their projects, she didn't really need to comment on them. Elliott was smart enough to notice that himself.
Either way, she would update Elliott on what she learned about Mr. Smith when they talked later.
***
After Mr. Smith left, Rosalyn stayed behind in the private room. The Meeting with Mark later was at the same restaurant, so she decided to stay and work from her phone. They had booked the room for the whole day, either way.
The time quickly ticked away as she was working, and before she knew it her alarm went off.
She had set it to be certain she wouldn't be late for her meeting with Mark.
She didn't have any intention of actually staying for the meal they had originally planned. She was simply going to make it clear that they were over, no matter what her sister might have said.
She was still wondering how her sister even had Mark's number, as she had never given it to anyone in her family…
Walking to the room Mark had booked, she knocked on the door and entered.
Mark was already inside waiting for her. The table full of different dishes and a bottle of wine.
"Rosalyn, you're finally here," he commented friendly as he got up to greet her.
Looking at the clock on the wall, Rosalyn double checked that she was indeed on time and not late.
"Well, this was the time we agreed," she simply replied as she avoided his attempt at a kiss.
"Mark…," she started, but he waved his hand and cut her off.
"No need to explain, I guess you're still mad about the gift I gave Amanda."
He sat back down at his seat, gesturing for her to take the seat opposite him.
She did.
"I know you will need some placating, so I ordered all your favourites," he smiled and nodded towards the food on the table.
Rosalyn looked at the array of different dishes and faintly shook her head. She had long preferred light foods such as steamed vegetables, salads, and lean meats as she was prone to indigestion. The table was filled with the opposite.
There were deep fried chicken wings, sausages, clams, different styles of potatoes and more. But nothing that would categorize as light food.
Oh, there was a tiny portion of salad at the end of the table. Enough for a few mouthfuls at most.
Mark, not noticing anything wrong with Rosalyn simply continued.
"And of course this," he reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and took out a small box. The box was in a light blue velvet with a small bow on top.
Smiling broadly, he handed it to Rosalyn, sliding it over the table.
Rosalyn, not knowing what to do in this situation just looked at the box now in front of her.
"Mark, I can't," she started, but once again he cut her off.
"Rosalyn, just open it, okay? I am certain you are going to love it!"
Seeing how he kept insisting and the way he didn't seem willing to let it go, Rosalyn slowly opened the gift.
Inside was a bracelet sitting comfortably on top of a pillow. Wasn't this Amanda's bracelet?
Looking incredulous at Mark, she truly wondered what was going through his mind.
"Mark, what is this?"
"Well, weren't you jealous that I got it for Amanda? So, I got you one as well," he smiled broadly.
Rosalyn wondered if she had truly been this blind for the entirety of the last two years… or had Mark changed? Either way she didn't recognize the person in front of her.
Where was the witty man that would make her chuckle and listened to her words? Where was the man that would consider her feelings and actually possessed emotional intelligence?
He was certainly not in front of her now.
This man was a stranger.
Rosalyn, closing the box, looked straight at Mark, ready to break it off once again.
" -" but as soon as she opened her mouth to say the words, Mark interjected.
"You don't need to thank me, Rosalyn, I know you are too proud to admit it," Mark laughed.
"You can imagine my surprise when I got a call earlier today by someone claiming to be your sister. I almost didn't believe her," he once again laughed as he poured wine into their glasses.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me you had a sister!" He said disappointedly while he shook his head.
"She told me all about your situation. About the aftereffects from your coma. You should have just told me; I would have been more understanding." He gave a light squeeze to her hand.
"She also told me about how you two require dresses. You should have told me if you were short on cash. You really shouldn't be so prideful, haven't I already offered to give you pocket money before?" He asked while letting out a small sigh.
Rosalyn, listening to his words, decided she had to interrupt him now, so that the misunderstanding didn't grow bigger.
"Mark, I need you to listen to me," she gently stated, getting his attention.
"My sister seems to be under the wrong assumption. I didn't meet you here to get back together, but to make a clear break. And this bracelet," she pointed to the box on the table, "is not what I needed from you."