I let out a half laugh, half cry. He shrugged kind of apologetically. I shook my head.“She says surprise her,” he said and ended the call.He pulled out and left Rosita at the supermarket and drove me back to Azriel’s house. That phone started ringing from my pocket. I took it out.“A” calling. Great. I stared at it. After the third ring, Earl cleared his throat, “I’d answer that, Miss.”I didn’t. I couldn’t do anything but stare at the screen. It stopped at 5 rings. Then Earl’s phone started ringing and he said a mix of yes Sirs and no Sirs all the way back. When we pulled inside the gate, which Earl appeared to have engaged somehow from within the vehicle. He stopped in front of the gate and sat there for what seemed like the longest time. He dialed the phone and said, “What’s your ETA? Shit. Can’t do it. Won’t work. No, that’s not the plan. Can’t. We will have to reschedule.” he growled into the phone and then hung it up and finally drove in through the area between the gates.“Y
“Oh! Please stop”, I shoved him against his rock hard chest, but he didn’t move an inch.He laughed again, making me crack a small smile in his favour which I hated. My heart caved in my chest of its own accord as I took in his carefree, happy expression which really was a phenomenon because he was almost either frowning or glaring.For some inexplicable reason, his happiness made my heart grow smaller and sadder.I tried not to let the brief moment of sudden sadness show as I pulled up my dress, trying to cover my chest.“You didn’t choose that dress, did you?”, he suddenly observed, making me want to face palm for not being subtle enough about adjusting my dress.“No, I didn’t”, I replied, my voice small.“That fucking slimebag. You’re not buying that”, he growled out, making me raise a brow at him.I did not need Daniel intervening between me and his uncle to just worsen things between me and that man who I really needed to keep happy…. for both my and my family’s sake.“I have to
Roselia’s POVDo you know that feeling of dread when something you’ve planned for years on end, scrutinising, memorising every little thing, paying excruciating attention to detail, withholding patience you don't have just so you could be as sure of it as was humanely possible and then it was all finally coming together but you just couldn't help but wonder that what if someone noticed something unusual and I was caught before the ball dropped. What if Edwin Clifford wasn't where he was supposed to be at the designated time, what if i messed up my part, erego destroying the whole bloody plan?The dread coiled up in my stomach like a snake, it growing more rabid and venomous with my increasing nervousness and anxiety. “Rose!!!”Romina, the Clifford mansion’s head chef yelled my name, snapping me out of my inner turmoil and almost making me slice a finger off along with the diced onions.“Stop being useless over there and bring me the tortilla chips from the freezer, from the one downst
At 6 in the evening, all the kitchen staff had been made to assemble in the ground floor storage room yet again to go over some last minute things. “Wow! The mistress is really going over the top with the preparations, the food, decorations and basically everything. She was even generous enough to gift us these pretty uniforms and aprons,” Leena loudly whispers to me as Romina stands at the head of the group of waiters and chefs, yelling out some instructions. Mrs. Clifford and generous? I don't think so. At least she loved her son though, loved him enough to show others kindness albeit it was for him. I kept my thoughts to myself, not ready to burst sweet Leena’s bubble just yet. She’d started here as a waiter only about a month ago and was already everyone’s favourite. She did exactly as she was told, wasn't mouthy or snarky and was happy to please everyone any way she could. I give her a small smile and just nod along. Leena was a few years older than me but seemingly as gullib
Everyone’s heads turned as the heavy footsteps neared us and one by one the Clifford family’s members took their place. I couldn’t help but stiffen when Waylen Clifford, brother of Edwin Clifford took his place at the head of the table, making me inch away from his chair. Luckily for me, he didn’t spare me a glance.Then Mr. Clifford’s youngest son, Gael Clifford took his seat on the fourth chair of the left side of the table, he was only 11 but had already wielded a gun. Dressed in a tux, the blonde boy looked like the spitting image of his father. Then his sisters, Olive and Lucy sat beside him and closest to the head seat……. my breath hitched so hard, I almost gasped for air. Closest to Waylen sat his brother, Edwin Clifford. Waylen was superior to Edwin in age, wealth and authority but not in cruelty. Other Cliffords along with the other guests took their seats but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Edwin. He was right there, less than a few feet away from me. It took all the self
Derek’s POVShe was thinner than the last time I saw her, she had already been so frail, how the fuck could she possibly have lost more weight?She was taller obviously but still nothing more than a child in front of me. Strands of her wavy, dark blood red hair were tied up in a messy bun which ached to be pulled open and cascade in waves down her shoulders. Her delicate, lean arms were clad in a fitting red shirt and I caught a slight show of prominent collarbones sculpted so perfectly they were fit to be hangars for Gucci clothes and a waist so narrow it could fit in my one hand. I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable but I couldn’t help but behold each and every part of her for as long as I could. Then my mother decided that it was a good time for me to catch up with the gossip of the wives of the mafia and their “very” exciting life and then continued to engage me in some very boring conversation. I nodded at the right moments and mmhed and aahed along.I couldn’t help but frow
Roselia’s POV I had made it past the exit and found the truck I was supposed to escape in. I waved to the guy sitting in the driver’s seat. I half expected him to wave back and then the weirdest thing happened. He poked his head out the window and yelled for the patrolmen on guard. I was so confused for one second but then it clicked. It clicked quite quickly given the circumstances… but not quickly enough.It was a fucking setup.Horrified, I tried to make a run for it, my heart beating so loud, I couldn’t even hear my own pounding steps nor did I hear the shots that were fired until one hit me in the leg and I stumbled to the ground. I tried to get up as blood spurted from the wound in my shin. The bullet had passed through the flesh but still, there was so much blood. I could’ve still made it but the guards were too fast. I was on my feet and almost past the Clifford property’s boundary by the time they got a hold of me.I didn’t struggle as they dragged me back into the mansion
Roselia’s POVMy 5 feet tall body felt like it weighed a 1000 pounds. It felt like I was floating in the air and in place of my brain was a clump of cotton candy. I placed a hand on my forehead, rubbing lightly, trying to dull the ache as I sat up and let out a groan when my back felt like it was being sliced open by a 100 knives. “Put your back against the pillows. It will lessen the pain”, a nurse, who I only now noticed was also in the room kindly suggested. I listened, the fogginess in my brain clearing gradually.I let out a gasp when I realized that I was still in the mansion….. and alive.“No, you don’t have to….”, I resisted but the nurse straightened and fluffed the pillows behind my back anyway.I laid back and almost fell asleep again against the silky covers,” That’s actually a lot better, thanks.” The nurse frowned at me, placed a bunch of tablets on the nightstand, instructed me on how to take them and then left without another word.I rubbed a hand against my eyes and