Rose

"I know I'm handsome but staring is rude you know." he suddenly blurted out and I almost choke on nothing.

"Excuse me? I was not staring at you. I was just...looking at you."

"Oh, that still means you were staring at me" I laughed it off and embarrassment flooded my entire body.

"Yeah, I must admit I was staring at you but it's because you're really handsome. What's your secret?" I nudged forward seemingly curious. He chuckled and the embarrassment quickly dispersed into thin air.

"So you're saying I'm handsome. Thank you for the compliment but I've got no secret since I was just born this way." He said it jokingly and flashed a "checkmark" hand pose.

I chuckled lightly with his silliness and I felt comfortable talking to him.

I thought he would be intimidating because of his physical appearance but it was the complete opposite.

"Anyways, where's the instructor?"

"He's somewhere out there in his pants." I squinted my eyes at him at his smart-ass answer and I heard him stifle a laugh.

"I don't know but I think he'll be here soon."

The door swung open and the instructor came exactly after he said that.

"Oh talk to you later. He's here" I turned my gaze at the front to listen to the instructor.

The instructor taught us how to use the necessary tools and safety equipment, he then instructed us to make a simple flower with five petals, the one kids usually drew for school and he calls it a periwinkle, although I doubt it is. He made a simple fucking flower for two hours and we were all gawking and waiting for his 'amazing result' which costed us 2 hours only to see a 'periwinkle'.

Yeah, a ducking periwinkle.

But I don't have the right to judge since mine was....utterly a disaster. My periwinkle looked nothing like a flower. The petals were not emphasized so afar it's like a deformed circle with five long slices and the color of the wood was not helping at all. It made it look like a poop. A poop flower.

The carving knife and my hand were not listening to me at all.

I heard someone snicker and turned to see Vont/Zaireth/ or whatever his name was holding back his laughter.

He clearly couldn't contain it and burst out a laugh. Embarrassment and irritation flooded my whole body, as I threw him my wooden poop flower. I don't know what's with me but I'm completely comfortable with him, comfortable enough to throw him my wooden masterpiece.

"Hahahaha, sorry, sorry but pffft...how were you able to make that?" He was holding his stomach, and although his laughter appears to be music to my ears, it was one hella annoying music that I would strangle the one who's making it right now.

"Stop laughing. How nice is your work to criticize mine" I stretched my neck to see his crafted flower and I was absolutely amazed and stunned. It was a well-made rose resting on a stem with five serrated leaves and I was absolutely speechless. He took it all up to a notch, he even crafted a rose with leaves even though we were only tasked to make a simple 'periwinkle'.

He was smiling arrogantly as I retracted my gaze to my poop flower feeling defeated. It's not helping how it lays flat on the floor, and my inner self wants to bring my foot up and crush it.

"Psh ok, that rose looks amazing compared to mine. But so what?" I told him while trying to carve another one.

I was busy carving if you could describe it as carving until I noticed him behind me. He snakily glided his hands beside my waist and stopped me, and I almost went to heaven and back by getting surprised.

He was taller than me so it was easy to sneak his hands behind me. I felt his breath on my neck and I was startled.

"What are you doing?" I said in a not-so-convincing tone.

Really Rose really?

"You're doing it in the wrong way"

Jesus Christ, I was doing it like how the instructor did it.

He went beside me and took his carving knife, chisel, and a wooden mallet and started chiseling.

"Ok observe me. You need to carve here deeper then going to a curve, make a--" his words were muffled as I stared at him intently. Did I say he was handsome cuz he's really stunning right now. His serious face is so...sexy and refined.

"Rose, are you listening?" He caught me staring and daydreaming at him.

I coughed lightly "Y...yes you told me to take a curve." he chuckled and once again I'm at awe. He shouldn't smile like that, it may result in numerous women in jail.

"I said that ages ago." he shook his head while his lips curved into a smile.

We spent the afternoon carving wooden flowers and talking about stuff. I must admit I improved. It looked like a decent simple flower already, although it paled in comparison to Zeth's one, at least it's passable.

And I'm calling him Zeth, short for Zaireth since Vont's an unusual name and Zaireth is too long.

"Zeth, I think you should replace the instructor. You're very good at teaching other people"

"Naah. The instructor just sucks" and we both laughed.

I was brimming with happiness and positivity as I went home, I was able to carve a flower and it was enough to make me happy.

It was unusual for me to feel this kind of happiness, the last time I was this optimistic was when I celebrated my 5th anniversary with Aziel which quickly faded as it was replaced with betrayal as I saw Sophia and Aziel lapping their lips off each other.

Oh, speaking of the devil, I saw Aziel sitting at the front of our main door, and my short-lived happiness instantly dissipated.

"What are you doing here?" I coldly asked him. He quickly lifted his gaze and our eyes met only to see me completely dissatisfied with his presence.

Confusion flashed on his face when he heard me asking in an unfamiliar tone. I always greeted him cheerfully, like how a dog would with its owner. I would treat him like a prince, treat him like he's the only man out there for me.

The "there are many fishes out there in the sea" was never applicable to me.

For me Aziel Jaxton Clemonte was my life, my everything, I lived only for him.

My eyes stung as I remembered my baby and the betrayal. The memories came in, flooding my mind and soul, but instead of crying, my heart burst with rage and wrath.

"Get the fuck out of here Aziel, I am done with you!" he looked at me aghast, with my sudden outburst. I was pushing him out but he was as strong as a wall.

"What did I do wrong?.... Why are you suddenly acting like this Rose?" I laughed bitterly. Of course, you wouldn't know the hell you put me through. Of course, this bastard wouldn't know what he did to me. And that made me more frustrated, my heart clenched with rage as I looked at his flabbergasted face.

"Aziel, just ,, just leave before I do things, I would regret." I shook my head as tears started to flow. The frustration was enough to bring me to tears. He wrapped his arms around and tried to comfort me but I squirmed and pushed him away.

"Rose just tell me what happened? Just tell me so I would know." I glared at him.

The fuck would you know.

"Aziel please leave. I'm asking you nicely right now. Fucking leave before I'll drag you out here."

"No, I won't leave unless you tell me what's wrong." I scowled at him and called the guards. They were just near the scene as they hurriedly came as soon as they heard someone scream, yet they didn't have the guts to stop us. They were just there scoping up news to gossip to others.

They quickly ushered Aziel outside. "Ban him, and never let him inside." Aziel tried to struggle and called my name but I turned quickly and went inside. The maids greeted me politely but I was feeling so off that I simply nodded at their greeting.

One reason why Aziel was so invested with me was for the partnership of our family's company. They need the partnership to bring them out from bankruptcy but I would gladly let them suffer.

I would never let them taste success.