UGLY FEELINGS

(Thomas White's Mansion - 1:25 PM)

Thomas smiled at his second son after a quick glance at the woman that stood beside him as he proceeded to take a seat at the far end of the large sitting room.

With his hands folded under his jaw, Mr. Thomas White got immersed in the thoughts that overwhelmed him since after learning about his first son's fianceé

The least of his worries at the moment being the curious looks on the faces of the other people present in the sitting room as they searched his face for a clue on what the meeting he had gathered them for would be about.

The woman he wouldn't stop yearning for after one night of passion is his son's fianceé.

As perfectionist as he was, a well-grounded pessimist, always on the lookout for what slightest problem might arise to disturb the familiar system, Mr. Thomas had never imagined a connection like this would have been formed.

How long had they been dating for?

How was he going to confirm that she dating his son was not part of her big plan to sabotage his reputation, using that night as a weapon?

He pressed his palms together tighter and grinded them more into his jaw.

He needed to know what her true intentions were, and he wasn't going to be patient until when she would show up unannounced at his office with terms and consequences of disagreement to those terms, maybe.

His head turned towards the noise of footsteps coming down the stairs.

His heart began to beat faster as soon as his eyes fell on her as she walked slowly behind Thompson.

Exhaling sharply, he relaxed more into his seat while glancing at every other person's face, worried someone must have noticed how loud his heartbeat had become.

"I think the guest is injured. Get her first aid," Roseline gritted her teeth as she remembered Thomas's words, which according to him would be, caring for the woman his son cares for.

"What a man!" she sighed as she continued to walk closely behind Thompson, relying on his guidance on the right place to sit in the unbelievably enormous sitting room.

Roseline noticed the presence of the two other persons, a man and a woman, whom she would have given everything on a bet that they were a couple because of how closely the woman was etched by the man's side.

It was funny, because why did it remind her of the black and white-colored picture she had seen of the conjoined twins the legendary doctor, Ben Carson, had operated on?

Roseline made to smile, but a sudden pain pierced through the bone of her injured ankle, causing the smile to get wiped off her face as quickly as it came.

She wished she could get the damn heels off her feet. It made walking difficult for her, especially with a now-injured ankle.

Biting down hard on her molars, she swallowed the pain, but had to slow down her pace, else she had to limp it through, and she didn't want to.

Aside Thompson's words while he returned the can of the relief spray he had almost emptied on her ankle to the first aid earlier,

"Don't embarrass us today, okay?"

She felt a strong urge to jump over everything that would make the old man look at her like a lost chick again.

After Thompson and Roseline had settled down, Thomas knew he had to do something that would bring some sort of satisfaction to his curiosity.

Or maybe, give him a hint of how intense the fight would be, that is if there'd be any.

Then, slowly, his eyes relaxed into a more settling gaze. He had an idea.

"Sons, introduce the women you've brought with you," Thomas spoke, dropping his hands from his jaw to face the small crowd of people before him, his voice heavy with resounding authority.

Roseline felt really uncomfortable with the old man's demeanour and mannerism. She shifted on her chair, summoning every willpower to keep her face clean from a smirk.

With an annoying agility, Thompson sprang up from where he sat beside her.

"Dad. Here's my fiancée, Roseline Johnson."

"As if. The third time he is being told my name today," Roseline rubbed her neck as she muttered to herself.

Thomas's eyes had been on her discreetly all this time. His eyes lingered on her for some seconds when he saw that she had muttered something, his curiosity shooting higher.

But Thompson continued, forcing Thomas to bring his focus back on him.

"Roseline, that is Nelson White, my step younger brother."

"You know you didn't have to make it very obvious. This is a first meeting," Nelson spoke, his voice calm but wounded.

"Go on!" Thomas beckoned to Thompson, whose stance was already posed to reply to Nelson in a way that wouldn't have been too pleasant.

"I'm finished, Dad. He should go ahead with his idea of a perfect first meeting introduction," Thompson flipped, before taking his seat hurriedly.

"Can I?" Nelson politely asked Thomas.

With a nod from Thomas, he proceeded by standing from his seat.

"Here is Clara, the woman of my dreams," Nelson spoke, looking from his father's face to Thompson, who avoided his gaze, and then, to Roseline.

Roseline's lips curled into a smile that she allowed to blossom. For the first time since she got to the mansion, she was properly acknowledged.

"Clara?"

Clara turned to him, her eyes bright like a puppy's and her cheeks flushed pink.

"He is Mr. Thomas White. He is the head founder of The Zones Group. Most importantly, he is my father."

As Roseline looked on with admiration, shame tugged at her heart for how poorly Thompson had represented them.

She was still battling her emotions as to how things were unfolding when Clara stood up, and she was forced to focus fully on her.

She was as beautiful in the rich fine black flowing satin dress she wore. Her hair was all curly and lush, all combed to one side of her face. Her makeup was just perfect. She looked like a princess on those gold heels.

"Nice to meet you, sir," she spoke to Thomas, her voice slim and refined.

Roseline was lost for words as she watched Clara's gracefulness. Pitifully, she looked down on the ash suit she ended up wearing for the meeting, a little too big for her because she had ordered it in the wrong size when she did and thought she would grow into them magically.

What was she thinking when she decided on that outfit?

The show turned sour when, after Clara spoke, Thomas did not reply.

"Are you done?" was the next thing he said as he looked from Clara to Nelson.

Smiling to Clara, who nodded in return like that was some sort of communication code, Nelson continued.

"Darling, that is my elder brother, Thompson, and Roseline, his fiancée. You must know that already," he finished.

Roseline watched Clara take two steps towards where she sat, and thinking she was coming in for a hug, she stood up too, but before she could even take one step towards her, the old man spoke.

"What were you thinking dressed like you are, young lady?"