CHAPTER FOUR. SOFTENING.

When they got back home, Rory just locked herself up in her room. It had been hard standing. Her legs were in so much pain.

***

Daniel got changed in another room and went to his study. He was catching up on work, but he couldn’t focus. Rory’s face kept popping up in his mind. They hadn’t known each other for long but he knew she wasn’t someone who got emotional easily. So what could have happened? Was he worried for her?

He ignored the nagging feeling in his heart and continued his work. However, no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t shut her out.

At last, he conceded and called his assistant into the study.

“Where did she go?” Daniel asked Frank who was already preparing to sleep. He was a little grumpy but he couldn’t show it.

Frank already knew his boss would ask when he saw them entering the house. They were both wet and Rory’s eyes were very red.

He narrated the whole story. The more he spoke the more the temperature in the room changed.

Daniel’s face was blank but his eyes were like a raging storm. He wanted to kill someone.

“I want to see her” He instructed blankly.

“Right away sir” Frank gladly went out of the study. He was about to freeze to death. He was shocked by his reaction. He had never gotten this angry ever since that incident.

***

Rory heard a knock on the door and went to open it.

“Assistant Frank, how may I help you?” The swelling in her eyes from the crying had reduced. She just looked incredibly sad. Frank’s heart ached. She had gone through so much for a young girl.

He cleared his throat and informed her, “Young master has asked for your presence in the study”

“I’m tired. Tell him whatever it is, it can wait” She rejected the invitation.

She was about to close the door, but Frank was faster and held the door with his hand.

“If it wasn’t urgent, madam, he wouldn’t have called” He persuaded her.

“If no one has died, then I don’t think it’s that urgent” She countered.

Frank was at a loss for words. She was so stubborn.

“I know you must be tired, but please see him. It’s important” He pleaded.

Aurora sighed and said, “Okay”

***

“What do you want?” Rory got straight to the point.

Hearing her voice, Daniel looked up from his laptop.

He knew she was upset, so he ignored her rudeness and said, “Sit”

She looked at the chair and shook her head, “Whatever it is you have to say, say it”

“What’s your plan?”

“Plan?”

“Yes. I got intel that you were thoroughly humiliated by your family, so what do you intend to do?”

“What’s it to you?” She asked suspiciously. He was an iceberg, so why did he care?

“Don’t misunderstand my intentions. I don’t care. But you are my wife. The wife of Daniel Froster, if word gets out that you were shamed by insignificant people, it will be a big blow for me and my family’s name” He explained calmly.

Of course, it had to do with his pride. After all, he was the CEO of the largest company in the country.

“Well, I hope your intel did tell you that I can’t get my inheritance back. So without my inheritance, how would I get my revenge?”

“Have you ever played chess before?”

“Chess? Yes”

Daniel rested his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on his clasped knuckles, as he spoke intently. “A revenge plan is like a game of chess. Each move is played with the intent of killing the king. You have to be smarter than they are. You have to always hit them where it hurts the most. And as the wife of the richest man in the country, are you worried about money?”

Rory finally sat down on the chair. She was interested.

“What do you suggest I do?”

“Hit them where it hurts the most. You’ve lived them all your life, so….”

“So I know where to strike” She completed the sentence.

Daniel had never spoken this much to anyone in his life. Why was he helping her?

“Samantha is like a pun. She just does what she’s told. Hector on the other hand is the knight and Vivian is the queen. So let’s take out the pun”

“Okay. How?” Daniel questioned. He was a perfectionist.

Rory thought for a while before an idea popped into her head.

They discussed for a long time before coming up with their master plan.

Just then, Rory’s stomach grumbled.

She hoped Daniel didn’t hear that and acted normal.

Then the grumbling came again and this time, louder.

“Are you hungry?” Daniel teased and Rory’s face turned bright red.

She nodded shyly.

“Come with me” He stood up and Rory followed him.

“Where are we going?”

“To Peru”

“Really?”

“No. Are you dumb?”

Rory slapped his arm, playfully. “Hey!”

They went into the kitchen and Daniel told her to sit on a stool.

“What are you doing? Is Daniel Froster going to cook for me?” She gasped.

“Don’t flatter yourself”

“I would never,” She said in a British accent.

Daniel made them a PB and J Sandwich and opted for milk to go with it.

“PB and J? I’m surprised”

“It’s the middle of the night, any heavy food would prevent you from sleeping”.

“So he cares, after all”.

She started eating and saw that Daniel hadn’t touched his food.

“I know it’s terrible, but if I can eat your sandwich, you can too”

“I’m not hungry”

“Eat something. It would mean a lot to me. You are helping me, let me help you” She was so genuine and Daniel couldn’t help but take a bite.

His heart was softening for this girl. What was she doing to him? Was she liking her?

He couldn’t feel what he was feeling for her. So he stood up and left the kitchen, leaving Rory puzzled.

***

The next day.

Her hair was curled and reached her shoulders. The uniform that was a stripped blue and pink high waisted skirt, white top and dark blue blazer that fit her perfectly. As she stood outside the gate, her presence was one that could not be ignored.

She entered the school with her pink backpack and a confidence that was obvious with every step she took.

Students stared and whispered when she walked by. She was very beautiful, even though she was thin, with her dark blue eyes, small nose, heart shaped lips that almost looked red and round face.

On her way to the principal’s office, she got lost because of how huge the school was.

She saw a blond haired boy and called out to him.

“Excuse me? I’m new here, so I don’t know my way. Where can I find the principal’s office?”

The boy was stunned by beauty but regained his senses.

“Hello. Welcome to T.H.S. I can show you to the principal’s office, if you’d like?” He said with a smile.

Rory nodded and thanked him.

They got to the principal’s office, he said goodbye and walked off.

She knocked and entered when she heard a serious voice say, “Come in”

“Good morning sir,” She greeted and sat down when he asked her to.

“You are the new student, Aurora Froster?” He asked. He looked like he was in his mid-fifties. He has a scholarly air and his office was medium sized with a shelf and documents arranged neatly on his desk.

“Yes sir”

He started rummaging through the files and brought out one with the name tag, “Aurora”

He saw the file was empty and only the filled admission form was there.

“You’ve never gone to school before?” He asked with surprise etched on his face and in his voice.

“No.” She calmly replied.

“I see.” He finally got to look at the girl seated in front of him. She looked very familiar.

“Have we met before?”

“No. I don’t think we have”

“Hmm. Very well. You can start classes. Your class is class D.” He informed and she expressed and gratitude.

***

When she got to the class, with lots of directions, she entered and immediately everyone noticed her.

“Who is this!? She is so beautiful!” One exclaimed.

“She’s a goddess! How can someone be so beautiful and cute?” Someone inquired incredulously.

The class teacher told them to be quiet and asked Rory to introduce herself.

“Hello. I’m Aurora. But you can call me Rory” She smiled.

“Aurora! A name fit for an angel” Someone said dreamingly.

She went and sat down.

***

During lunch, she accompanied Kay-Kayla- and Blaire to lunch.

She liked Kay because she was nice and Blaire because she didn’t overly fawn her like the rest of the class. So far, the first day of school was okay. She hadn’t seen Samantha yet.

“What do you want to eat, Rory?” Kay asked.

“Maybe some Mac and cheese?”

“Fine. Let’s go” Blaire ushered them to where they got lunch. The place had varieties of foods to choose from. You could get anything, it was already paid for with the tuition.

They got their food and as they were about to go their sit, Rory tripped on something and the tray of food with her was thrown in the air and landed on something or someone.

Kay and Blaire helped Rory remained balance and an ear shattering screamed was heard in the cafeteria.