CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER SEVEN: PLAN OF HER ROSE AMARA POV Despite my best efforts, I can't seem to focus my attention. Even taking breaks to meditate doesn't help, though I do that. I have trouble focusing for the rest of the workday. So, when I sit in my office and look across the library, my head rests on my leather chair. I had the worst college experience, having to take the majority of my coursework online. However, I still managed to earn a degree in business management. To do it, I didn't need my family's last name. I worked hard and independently to complete it. I struggled so hard to get here, and yet I'm still expected to marry someone that has a considerable part of pride. Belle will suffer the price if she doesn't switch to being the woman that Ethan would marry. I'm not naive. I know that my position is primarily due to my father's influence. I'll be fired or demoted as soon as he's gone, and I have no control over it since I'm a damn woman. When my phone vibrates, I pick it up. As soon as I see the name flashing on the video call, a smile automatically forms on my lips. She is precisely what I need at this time. I respond with a smile. Cause I am greeted by my nephew, who is the exact version of my face I said, "Hey, My Arden." The screen begins to tremble before he steadies it again, and now, he is held by my sister from another mom. "Look who wants to say hello to his aunty," she says. Although he has the same blond hair as his mother, he shares his father's green eyes. Maria gave him a smile. "Hello, Rose." He says, "Hello, Aunty," flashing his baby teeth and making a kissing noise. "I miss you,'" "It's exactly been one year since we last saw you." "You're keeping count?" "Damn right, I'm keeping count. Rose, you're the only family I have." "I'm not, no. Arden and Karl are available. You are also treated as a daughter by Karl's father. "I know I don't get to see you very frequently, Maria. It's for the safety of you and your family. They're already using Belle against me, but I can at least save her because I can't send Belle away because of who her father is. Only Hades and Father are aware of her existence. No, wait—Ethan helped me save her from Belle's takeover seven years ago, so he is already familiar with her. That's another justification for keeping Maria as far away as possible. Because Uncle Raven would never hurt my sister, I felt comfortable around her. However, Ethan is a different matter. He will utilize every tool at his disposal without hesitation. She exhales and strokes Arden's hair as he slides a toy along her leg, saying, "I know." Sometimes I wish I were in your position. "Did we, however? Perhaps things might have turned out differently if I had gone to someone's family. When we were young, Mom and Dad split up because Leonard disapproved of her relationship with an Asian, even though she was wealthy. And that's when Mom got her from the orphanage, and she became my sister at a young age. Mom and my sister spent their entire lives fleeing from London and his men, but I was raised by my father in a loving and secure environment. Mom didn't want her to lead the comfortable life of a mafia princess. She had to. Mom picked me up from school when I was twelve so we could leave the country. We were on the run for the longest, yet it was also the most exhilarating month. While escaping, my sister and I heard the gunshot that killed Mom. Everyone pretended it was a suicide, but I am sure she was murdered. And that's how I ended up here. With this boss, along with my father. I was terrified of what they might have done to me, but I never bowed my head or avoided making eye contact. My father taught me to never act incorrectly when I am right. A younger General took me out of Ace's hands and informed him that the head needed me alive. Like he had done with Mom, Ace had intended to kill me. He claimed he never intended for his daughter to pass away and that he only wanted to take her home. I didn't tell him that Ace was the one who killed Mom even though I wanted to because I didn't have any proof, and a capable person like my father only believed in evidence. It took me months to believe how sincere he was. In addition, Ace would have sold me on the underground market before I could have endangered his position. Later, when I sat before him, my father spoke the words that helped me regain my composure. "Becoming powerful is the only way to safeguard yourself, your sister, and your father." Since then, I've recognized that I must utilize his influence. Over time, I understood Amber's entitlement and how deeply my mother's passing affected him. He frequently stated that I was his second chance and regretted not providing the security she required. My life abruptly changed. She frequently says foolish things, like maybe she should have retained her name, when I keep my distance from her, as I am doing now. My poor sister doesn't realize that if she lived in my environment, she would be eaten alive by her hotshot lawyer husband, who is all over the news. "Are you saying you won't be going there by yourself?" Her speech falters as tears start to well up in her eyes. "I'm concerned for you." "Stop being. I can look after myself. "What if you're unable to because of something? Then, who will look after you?" "I've got my man and my woman. You got to know them." "Eya and Zeth are your guards, not members of your family." "They are, I see. Stop making fun of my right and left hands." She laughs. "I'm not sure whether to laugh or be upset that you view your guards as family." "They are loyal." She does a head shake. Arden immediately leaps off her lap and sprints for the door, where his father is about to enter. He chuckles uncontrollably as Karl snatches him up in his arms and tickles his stomach. Karl grins at the camera, his green eyes twinkling. "Hey, Rose." His broad frame hasn't changed, and he's tall and attractive with dark brown hair. He has a kind but business-like edge thanks to his beige suit. When Karl stoops to kiss Maria, the camera pans a little to show her mouth. It involves more than just a simple peck or lip-to-lip contact. She screams as she pushes away, her cheeks scorching as he pushes in. "Babe, I'm speaking to Rose. " I greeted them in a tone that said I wasn't even somewhat impacted by their PDA. Still, occasionally, it affects me in ways I cannot quite articulate. All I know for sure is that I must safeguard her joyful family. We all need to have that, at least one of us. Dad taught us to love with all of our hearts. Therefore, one of us needs to do that. I aim to prolong Maria's happy ending, which she fought for years to achieve. Before Hades enters with Eya and Zeth, there is a knock on the door. Yes, I arranged this meeting. Before Maria could respond, I said, "Listen, I've got to go," and then I hung up. She won't be as focused on pestering me about visiting them now that her husband is nearby. I joined the other three people in the seating area next to my workstation. Never, and I mean never, would he ever sit in his presence. To prepare drinks for us, Eya goes to the cabinet. She is a tall, fit woman with dark purple hair that she usually wears pulled back in a two-fishtail. If she could just lose the severe expression on her face, her high cheekbones and freckled cheeks would give her a unique look that could be charming. She and Zeth share similar traits. I tell her, "You don't have to make drinks." "Please, Miss." I sat next to Hades and shook my head. It's not just because I chose them as my guards that I feel comfortable giving my life to those two. No. He was only twenty at the time, two years older than me, and always emerged victorious. When I used to watch the underground brawls with my father and Grandpa. After Old Pakhan passed away, Eya arrived. She was intended to become a whore in Mikhail's brothels and was smuggled in from Russia in a filthy container. Eya was one of the ladies I was able to assist as I was determined to stop Mikhail's shipments and free as many women as I could. I held her close, keeping her out of Mikhail's foul clutches. I discovered she was a black belt after unintentionally spotting her kung fu threat. She was traded to the mafia for a debt her deceased father couldn't pay. Aside from Hades when he's not groaning, like he is right now, these two have been the pillars I have relied on ever since. "What now?" I asked. "You truly intend to wed Ethan?" Even if my entire being revolts at the mere mention of his name, I make every effort to maintain my composure. Even worse, he's returned now. If I'm sincere, the marriage proposal isn't the only reason I haven't been able to function well today. The way he entered my personal space, touched me, and placed his hand around my throat as if he had every right to do so bothers me the most. Those thin, lengthy fingers "Rose." "What?" when I hear Hades' commanding voice, I drag myself out of my daze. He doesn't often use my given name, and when he does, it's serious. "I wanted to know if you were going to wed the fool." He asked. "I am powerless to resist. He will pursue Belle unless I do it. Hades inhale, but he refrains from responding. He is the kind of person who, unless directed otherwise, prefers to stay out of other people's business. He is not a toy that can be used as we had intended. I am the one who knows that the best. He was formerly my guard. "I do, yes. I also recall that when he vanished, you advised me to refrain from mentioning his name." I still prefer that we avoid discussing him. That doesn't make him vanish, though. "I can act like I can." It's different now because he's Nathan's son, for whatever reason. "I don't know what happened back then, that you hold a grudge against him." "Are you sure that he is Nathan's son?" "Do you not?" "I'm not sure. It seems suspicious that he would go so far as to claim familial links. Why, of all times, now?" "You are the only one who can find out." "Oh, I'm sure I will. He believes that by marrying me, he will receive the all-access pass, but he is unaware that this will also poison him." "Hold on to your cards." "My dear Hades, you don't need to remind me that the snake is poisonous." "Hades is not my name." "Whatever." He responds with a groan. The four brigades' financial reports are all being sent to you per uncle's directive. I looked over my shoulder and said, "Hello, Mikhail's in trouble.How much do you bet we'll discover something suspicious inside?" He says in his somewhat eloquent accent, "One hundred." I made fun of him, "That's so little." Eya sets a tray of coffee before us and returns to stand next to Hades, saying, "Five hundred." I grin. "We're speaking now. On that, I'll call you. Taking a sip of his coffee, Hades. "You must also submit the reports from the management." "To who?" "To all of you. With this one, Uncle wants everything to be transparent. "Why now?" "Nathan could be involved, I suppose. He spent the longest with him." I tap my chin with my forefinger while resting my elbow on my knee. "You believe he is preparing a secret plan behind our backs?" "Most probably. Remember that he didn't push Uncle Raven until he was confident he couldn't be because Ace was dead. That one requires particular caution from you. "Why? Have you heard anything?" He pauses, bringing his cup to his mouth. "Maybe." "What's that?" "He met with Nathan and Ethan before the meeting today, according to my spies," Hades said. I put my fists out of my hands and cussed. I'm in big trouble if Ethan is accompanied by him. "Why did you vote for him to stay if you knew that? Why did they all? I don't understand why Father and now Raven favour him so much. "Simple. He works well. You cannot deny that nobody dared to approach the brotherhood while he was with us. They were aware that he would ambush them as they slept." "He remains a murderer." The answer is, "We all are." "We kill out of need, to preserve our and our own honor. He murders for fun and money. The least trustworthy people are those who lack loyalty and honor, like him." "Nobody believes him. All we're doing is using his abilities." Hades's comments cause me to halt because, for some reason, I don't like what they mean. "Princess, do you understand why I'm a shadow? The reason is that nobody notices when I'm absent." I reject the weight of Ethan's words and shake them off. However, I can still hear them in my thoughts. I did notice when he left, so they grew until they were all I could think of. I took more than just notes. It completely tore me apart, and I'm unsure if the wound will ever fully recover . I now have to wed him and use my hands to stab the wound even more deeply.