The Devil's Retaliation

Rose's Pov

"If Rose doesn't speak to me, I will be leaving this house now."

Derek's voice was deceptively quiet, but it commanded immediate silence in the lounge. "You can speak with me, Derek, it hasn't come to that honestly," I blurted out, my eyes darting to Richard. "Please, everyone. Leave us."

Eleanor huffed, looking at me with pure venom, but I couldn't defy Derek's presence. Katherine gave me one last glint of jealousy before leaving the lounge with Eleanor.

Richard hesitated, looking from me to Derek, his eyes red with anger. "My wife is pregnant. And she is stressed, she needs to rest now, Sir. I will speak to you on her behalf."

"I will speak to Derek myself honey," I blurted out, ignoring Richard's frantic look and statement. "My mouth is working just fine." Richard glared at me, without saying a word he stormed out the lounge.

As soon as the heavy door slid shut, the heavy, suffocating atmosphere disappeared replaced by a cold, business like tension.

"Why are you here, Derek?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

Derek walked slowly toward me, his footsteps echoing on the marble floor. "I told you at the club. You are in grave danger, Rose. That's exactly why I am here for you."

I looked at him, really looked at him. "How do you know I was in danger right now? You didn't install a camera in my house did you?"

"Your house?" Derek giggled, a condescending sound. "A house you are too scared to claim." He stood too close, his presence overpowering, making the room feel smaller.

"So you left your club, to come here and insult me right?" I asked, skepticism coloring my tone.

"Yes, and save you too," Derek said simply.

I looked at him, wondering how someone this handsome could be so rude, his ego was something I would want to break. But he is not my enemy, I will have to endure his tantrums to get what I want. I ignored his rude statement, "I had to lie about being pregnant before you got here," I confessed softly lowering my gaze. "I thought it would stop him from drugging me further.

Derek chuckled, a low, humorless sound. "That's a dumb move. And he will find out soon." He moved closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that barely reached my ears. "Follow through with the plan we discussed. Gather your evidence. He stared at the broken porcelain on the cup on the floor, "This drama wouldn't have happened if you had let me handle everything."

Without another word, Derek left, leaving me alone in the quiet lounge.

Derek had told me I could stay in his house, while he helped me ruin their lives. I refused his proposal for one just reason. My dad would want me to avenge his death by myself, he gave me the thorn for a reason.

As soon as I stepped out of the lounge, I was cornered by Richard, and his team of snakes.

"How dare you!" Eleanor hissed, her eyes narrowed in anger. "You stood right there, letting a stranger insult all of us, including my dear son! You are so selfish, Rose!" We are the only family you have left and you dare treat us like this?!"

Katherine chimed in, stepping closer to me with a fake look of concern. "Rose, honey, you need to think about Richard's feelings. I noticed you have been so cold to him these days. You are not fine, you need medical help."

I stared at them, studying their faces. They were such cowards, I wondered why I swallowed all this insults in my past life. Jealousy loomed over Katherine, Richard stood right there in raw, insecure rage. It was pathetic.

"Richard," I said, walking closer to my husband, my voice ice-cold. "You are a powerful, confident man, why didn't you stand up to Derek yourself? I saw the way you shook like a terrified child.

Richard's eyes darkened, his jaw tightened as he raised his fist, aiming for my face with a deadly intent. I didn't flinch. I watched him, waiting.

Just before the blow landed, I raised my hand and caught his wrist in the air. His fist just inches from nose, the force of it making my arm tremble, but I still held firm.

"You want to hit a woman, but you couldn't talk to your fellow man!" I barked, my thin voice now thick with anger. I was slipping out of the submissive wife character I played out in the lounge. My blood boiled with anger, that itched my skin.

Richard's eyes widened, he wasn't expecting me to stop him. I had let him hit me before in the past, but this time I wouldn't let it happen.

"You bitch," he barked, trying to fling his hand from my grip but my grip was strangely so tight. On a normal day, I wouldn't have that kind of strength, but today I felt I could make his bones snap.

"See?" you are weak, honey, too weak." I smiled, but the smile didn't reach my eyes. Katherine and Eleanor watched us, they were too stunned to speak.

I finally let go of his hand. He held the hand I had gripped, his eyes still fixed on me in disbelief.

"Richard," I called out, my voice suddenly switching to a friendly tone. "You are right. I am stressed, I do need to rest." I walked past them, heading for the staircase, "kath," I continued, "I see the way your eyes danced around Derek, if you want I can hook you up with him. It's time you find your own husband and leave mine alone." I giggled loudly, leaving them still frozen.

I got into my room and shut the door behind me. I dropped lazily on my bed. What a dramatic day it had been. For now I just had to wait. I had a plan cooking in the shadows for Richard.

In the next three days, I would have all video evidence of Richard's murder. I just needed to find a way to avoid being drugged, and also I needed to push Richard to the wall. I need to make him slip way out of character in the house. How do I make him mad? If he would only retaliate with drugging me or beating me to my death. At least I was able to escape being drugged this time around.

I closed my eyes tight, feeling a sense of guilt. I had managed to push him to the edge.

Minutes passed, and my room was quiet. Suddenly, the door opened, but it wasn't Richard.

A nurse, one I didn't recognize, entered the room, followed by two guards dressed in a black suit. Before I could ask any questions, they lunged at me. The guard pinned my arms in my bed, and the nurse quickly grabbed my arm.

"What are you doing?" I shrieked, struggling, but the guard was too strong.

The nurse ignored me, plunging a syringe into my arm. I felt a sharp pain, followed immediately by a warm sickening sensation spreading through my veins.

"Let me go! Let me go!" I screamed, but it was barely a whisper, my vision blurred and the room began to spin. My muscles felt like water, I was too weak to even move.

As my world faded black, I heard the nurse's cold voice. "Poor thing, but what can we do?"