CHAPTER 4
Roxanne's POV
After I returned to Renwick's Manor, I was brought into the bedroom and dressed up in a white wedding dress. Everyone was rude, including the makeup artist herself. She asked me to make sure I never let a tear slip from my eyes or she would deal with me.
I was trying so hard not to tear up, especially after the disgusting thing I had to do for money. I felt like a slut, a whore that my father had called my mother.
Even though my mother wasn't a whore, I still got irked each time my father called her that. It even made me believe sometimes that my mother could be a whore.
Now I had to do this to confirm that even if my mother wasn't a whore, I turned out to be a whore.
Just then the room door was pushed open and Derek walked in.
He gestured for the makeup artists and everyone else in the room to excuse us.
Once everyone had left, I dropped the facade and turned to glare at him.
“Where is Finn?!” I asked as my entire body shook, anger and pain filling me again at the thought of my brother being kept away from me.
“Preparing for his surgery.” Derek replied with a smile.
“All you have to do is obey and do as we requested, then Finn will be saved.” He said and chuckled.
I gritted my teeth at the man before me, one I once saw as a father, but not anymore.
“You all better keep to your promises because if anything happens to Finn, I will never let any of you go,” I warned with barely concealed rage.
Derek laughed again as he watched me, “And do you think you're in any position to dish out warnings?” He asked me, but I said nothing and just kept a poker face.
“I trust that you're wise enough to know what to do. The wedding arrangements have been made and the groom has arrived.” After he spat out those words, Derek turned around and walked out of the room.
I sniffed In an instant, trying hard not to cry.
‘Don’t cry, Don't Cry!’ I kept telling myself as the door was suddenly pushed open again. This time, it was Devian who walked in.
He had his hands in his pocket as he walked up to me.
“You look beautiful as a bride.” He commented, but I didn't even look up at him.
“I'm sorry, Roxanne .” He added.
I looked up at him this time as I gave him a disdainful look. I was in this mess because of him. Who knew that he had gone and gotten Reina pregnant?
I even had to sell my virginity to pay Finn’s bills. Now Finn was taken away and the money turned out to be useless to me and now, he dared to show up before me and tender useless apologies?
“I don't need your apology,” I remarked, averting my gaze from him again.
“I still love you, Roxanne. Just tell me that you love me back and I'll end this wedding.” He shamelessly said to me and I glared at him.
When I wanted him to say these words, he turned me down and shattered the remaining pieces of my heart. Calling me fat and ugly.
“After you got Reina pregnant?” I asked him with a frown.
“I can always keep you both.”
I felt my skin crawl at those words. Keep us both? As in marry the both of us?
“You're very shameless!” I fired in anger and reached out to hit him across the face, but he gripped my hand instantly.
“I let you hit me once, but I would never let it happen again!” He yelled and tightened his hold on my hand.
I winced as the pain assaulted me.
I tried so hard to get his hands off me, but he didn't let go.
“Devian,...” I called out again as I felt tears stung my eyes.
“Devian..” I called out again and again, but to no avail.
Just when I thought I would get my arm broken by him, the door to the room was pushed open.
“Let her go.”
I turned to the sound of the voice and the very person I saw made me freeze in place.
Even though I was drunk yesterday night, I could still make out the face before me. The very piercing silver eyes I could never forget anytime soon.
Those clear eyes were currently glaring at Devian who still held my hand.
The coldness of the man’s voice made Devian subconsciously release his hold on me.
I jerked my hand away and moved back from Devian.
“Who the hell are you?” Devian asked Mr Silver's eyes.
He simply cleared his throat and two bulky guards walked in immediately.
“Tell him who I am since he dared to touch my bride.” Mr silver's eyes said and it took me a while to process his words.
Bride? What bride was he talking about?
Wait! Was he…..was he the famous Ciel Sébastien?
The handicap?
But the man before me was not a handicap.
“Ahh!” Devian's scream of horror brought me out of my train of thoughts as I watched the two guards twist his both hands behind his back.
The action must have hurt a lot because cold sweat broke out on Devian's forehead.
“You… you're. Argh!” Devian began to say, but the guards twisted his hands even more as he tried to say something to the supposed Ciel.
I turned to look at Ciel Sébastien who had a smirk on his face just staring at Devian's suffering.
The sweat had already soaked Devian’s shirt as he whimpered.
Derek walked in just then to this scene and he rushed in to stop the guards.
“Hey! Let go of him, who the hell are you people?!” He yelled at the guards, but they didn't listen to him. He then turned to yell at me, “Who do you think would ever want you? You're a fat, ugly bitch!” It took me everything I had not to roll my eyes in disgust while checking my neck. He was the one who tried to assault me just now and he was pouring out his anger on me because he got caught?
“If you put your hands on her one more time, you will lose them.”
Derek then turned to look at Ciel who stood there probably enjoying the sight before him.
“Who are you and how dare you harass my son-in-law in my house?!” He yelled and Ciel turned his attention to him as a frown settled on his overly handsome face.
“Your son-in-law? I thought I was your son-in-law?” My eyes widened in shock as he said those words to Derek.
Derek froze at once at those words from Ciel.
He must be wondering why those words came out of that man's mouth.
I wasn't sure if this man was Ciel, but I also wished to know the truth about his identity.
And in no time, It was confirmed, this man before us was none other than The Ciel Sébastien that I was supposed to get married to today, and he was not handicapped.
“P–pretty boy?!”
The rain had just stopped.Soft mist clung to the windows of the Ciel's mansion east wing, blurring the sunrise into watercolor hues, lavender, gold, and pale blue. Inside, the world held its breath.And then came the cry.High, clear, and so small.Roxanne exhaled, sinking back into the bed pillows, damp curls stuck to her forehead. Her fingers trembled, her body ached, but her heart… her heart had never felt so full.The midwife smiled gently and whispered, “You did beautifully.”Ciel had arranged for her safe delivery at home to avoid the press trying to have a glimpse of his baby's new life.Across the room, he stood frozen, one hand covering his mouth, the other gripping the edge of the chair like he needed something solid to hold onto. His eyes were rimmed red, glistening with disbelief.Then the doctor turned, gently placing a small, wriggling bundle into his arms.Ciel cradled the baby as if holding the sun.“Hi,” he said hoarsely. “Hi there.”The infant blinked up at him
At Ciel's mansion, the atmosphere was in a celebratory mood.There were lovely fragrance sprayed across the whole area of the mansion.Although out of sight, there was a string quartet playing with a low, steady and reverent sound.Everything was planned out to be spectacular for her.Roxanne stood at the edge of the corridor, one hand resting lightly on the swell of her stomach, the other clutching a bouquet of ivory peonies and olive branches. Her gown shimmered like moonlight, simple silk, no train, no veil. Just her. Powerful. Radiant, and Free.“I feel like I’m going to drop the rings,” Finn whispered beside her.She looked down at him and smiled. He was dressed in a navy-blue tuxedo, his hair slicked to one side, trying so hard to look grown. He clutched the velvet ring box in one hand and held her arm with the other, eyes wide with the kind of solemn joy only a child can feel at moments that feel bigger than life.“You won’t drop them,” she whispered. “You’ve already car
At the Bellamy headquarters, the morning air was slightly cold, but with enough breeze to rustle the new massive silk banner that is draped over the building.Roxanne just got there.She was wearing a very tailored ivory suit.It has gold embroidery along the sleeves.It looked regal.Her hair was pulled back in a sleek knot, and her eyes gleamed with elegance and raw beauty.She looked very inch a powerful woman by her looks.And truly, she was.She is the CEO of the Bellamy Couture.Ciel was standing beside her.Tall and poised, with his hand resting gently at her back.Crowds were gathered around them, outside the company.There was a Pavilion, and different people were there.Journalists,ambassadors,designers, philanthropists, and board members from three continents.The company's name glimmered under the new leadership.Only this time, the name belonged to Roxanne.She stepped forward, her voice amplified and commanding, yet warm.“Years ago, my mother built something extraordina
For some reason, Devian was arrested and charged to Court.Ciel had a hand in it.He wanted to make him fall for real this time.What he did with Reina's phone may have helped him in his plan, but he figured if he could do something like that, then he was capable of much more madness.And he could not afford to let him live free.Since his detention didn't help matters, he decided to use the law.On the day of his hearing, the police brought Devian to the court.It was raining slightly.Cameras flashed before him like lightening.He was a part of the high society, and a scandal like this definitely makes the juicy news.He didn't flinch, nor blink as he was led into the Court room.His hair was damp, his once-pristine suit wrinkled and clinging to his frame. The arrogance he once wore like armor had been stripped away, piece by piece.He looked smaller now.Inside the courtroom, the silence was almost sacred. The judge had already reviewed the files.It was over 400 pages of cybercr
Evelyn drove her car towards Roxanne's house.The drive was slow, and almost reverent.It was as if she was going for something that would make or mar her.She was putting on a plain black coat, and heels.And also had with her a leather bag, which contained just one item.A letter.As she drove, the streets blurred past her window like a memory she does not want to go after anymore.Her phone buzzed in her lap, but she didn’t check it. There was no one she wanted to hear from. Not anymore.By the time she reached Roxanne’s building, the late afternoon sun had sunk low, casting long shadows across the pavement. She pulled over, and came out of the car, with the letter tucked into her coat.She walked towards the door and stood by it for a minute before she rang the bell.Then the door opened slowly after some few minutes.Roxanne appeared before her.She was dressed in a gray lounge wear.There were some faint bruises beneath her eyes.A testament of sleepless nights, and stress.H
The house where James was hiding was walled up.He have had his men also take Reina down there to stay with him.Reina had grown used to living among them. But this one cut deeper.Living with them means different things.It means she was now privy to their private dealings and discussions.And since they got there, she had been listening to their cries of frustration.Soon, she heard James and one of his men having a low conversation. “She’s unstable,” James said coolly. “She’s a risk now. We can’t afford to keep her in the loop.”“What about the plan?”“The plan is salvaging what’s left of our network,” James snapped. “She can rot in this house or disappear. It doesn’t matter now. She’s expendable.”The word rang in Reina’s skull like a gunshot.She was Expendable!!She backed away from the door like it had burned her. Her pulse thundered. Her palms itched. Her father was ready to throw her away like garbage. After everything. After all she had gone through.All this while, s