Chapter

Rose had crossed the first wing. Her feet moved furiously, she did not stop to greet her colleagues. When she was pulled by a strong arm. She halted and was pulled out of the muddle of thoughts she had been lost in. She looked up to find a familiar face.

Thomas. His feather like blond hair were still the same and his face, as heartbreaking handsome as it always had been. He had a casual aura.

"Hey, hey easy there girl... Where are you flying off to looking like a grim reaper?" Thomas said. Thomas was one of her friends in the marketing department where she worked before. He had always been kind and friendly with her.

She quickly flashed him a smile, "Oh, Hey, sorry I didn't see you, got a lot going on."

He frowned, "Isn't your husband the God of this company? Why do you have to work?"

She chuckled softly and said, "Yes, but I didn't want to play princess in the glass tower sitting at home, so, I decided to work."

His casual expression tensed a bit, "Do you.. Do you love him?"

She wasn't expecting this to become yet another interrogation. Her smile somewhat collapsed. How could she tell him that she had sold herself to that ruthless man in exchange for her family's safety.

That he was so egoistic that he had decided to marry her just because she had said no to sleep with him.

So instead she cracked her smile wider and said. "A lot!"

She was looking into light blue eyes trying to assure him that she was being honest. When someone called,

"Let me have a look which asses are slacking off."

Thomas rolled his eyes and grinned. "Come on Katy, I was just getting coffee."

There she was. Rose's fiery petite friend, Katy. She wore a white pleated skirt and black off shoulder top. Her pixie black hair and silver choker made her stand out everywhere.

Katy totally ignored him going straight to Rose and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"You really forgot us, little, delicate Rose." She said.

"For the love of god, I dare not do that." Rose replied, a grin spreading over her lips.

Katy pulled back and looked at her, scanning her. "Are you alright? You have been avoiding us. Is he such a good husband?"

"Yup he is." She said smiling as brightly as she could without puking her internals.

"Tell me if he bullies you, I'll punch him in the face." She said patting her fisted hand. Rose chuckled.

Thomas cleared his throat to get the attention of the ladies and said, "Today we have a meet, the branches will be there even Mr. Coal and your husband will be there. You will be coming right?."

"Absolutely Rose, it has been forever since you actually decided to come out of your hiding hole. And Jacob is not coming, so you have no reason to avoid it." Katy cooed.

Thomas passed her an angry look. Jacob was the playboy of the department and he had made it a point to accomplish Rose. Once even tried to force himself on her.

"I'll have to ask Caelum." She said, her lips closing in a tight smile. Jacob was an asshole, and thinking about him only made her feel worse.

"He is your husband, not your father. You don't have to ask him." Thomas said.

Rose quickly jumped to defend before Katy could lash out being all feminist.

"I might be meeting his grandmother today." She lied keeping the panic away.

These two were her best friends. They had eaten her alive when she had told them that she was marrying just a week before the marriage. They might not know what her life had been like, but they knew that she had her demons so dark that she would not let them witness them. They knew that behind the delicate, kind soul was a broken spirit but they dared not ask what broke that spirit.

She laughed just a little longer, and smiled just a little brighter to be okay.

Katy nodded lightly. "Okay then, text us please. We miss you like crazy, try to make it."

Thomas ran a hand through his hair and gave her a slight nod and smiled before Katy looped her arm through his and pulled him away.

She turned on her heel and sighed looking at the ground.

An office meet huh?

...........................

Rose sat on her desk. Wherever Caelum had gone, he hadn't returned yet and she couldn't care less.

Her fingers were still trembling, it didn't help much with all the documents she needed to revise and review.

The private elevator not very far away from her desk , dinged open.

Caelum stepped out and with a brisk pace started walking to his office. His thumb and forefinger resting on the bridge of his nose beside his eyes.

He stopped to glance at the girl, "We have to go to the branch meet tomorrow, You will be joining me."

She met his eyes, but she noticed something,

She nodded, her eyes fixed on his collar.

A lipstick stain.

She did not ask him anything as he walked away into his office. Her little heart collapsed. She wanted to ask him, but what authority did she have?

Shouldn't she be happy that he did not force himself on her? After all he had needs, needs that needed tending to. Needs that Rose had hoped she wouldn't have to help him with. Why would she care?

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