Uninvited Guest

Rose's POV

The air in the lounge was toxic. Richard held the cup against my lips with a grip that felt like iron bands. The metallic tang of the tea steamed up into my nose, a scent that triggered an involuntary shudder through my body. The same scent of the basement, I felt a familiar terror crawling into my skin.

My heart hammered against my ribs in a frantic rhythm. I raised my hand up slowly to hold the base of the cup. Finally a thought dropped into my mind. I should just faint right now, that would have been a good idea but what if I got injected with the drug instead.

As I closed my eyes, forcing a shaky breath, preparing to tilt the cup not into my mouth, but onto my own dress, in a fake spill.

CLICK! CLICK!

Heavy clicking of boots stumped on the marble floor behind me.

"This place doesn't look bad," a voice interrupted, cold, smooth and devastatingly calm. It was a familiar voice.

Richard froze instantly, his eyes brushing past me to see who it was. Richard's mum gasped, her posture instantly shifting from arrogance to subservience. Katherine, who had been sneering in the corner, seemed to stop breathing entirely, her eyes widening to a mix of shock.

The figure that stood right there was the one and only Derek Hamilton. He was framed by the heavy velvet curtains not looking like a visitor but more of a conqueror. Even dressed in a simple, tailored suit he radiated a power that made the lounge feel too cheap and out of his league.

He halted right in front of us. His expression unreadable, eyes fixed on Derek. He told me at the club he had just been officially announced as the sole heir to the Hamilton Empire, taking over the largest business chain in the country. He was a man who hid in the shadows, but made impact in the business world. It was only recently, people got to see his face. But sadly that was all I knew about him

Richard face a look of profound confusion fighting with a forced, welcoming smile. "Who exactly are you?" Richard stammered. He didn't know he was speaking with Derek Hamilton, he was already feeling inferior just with Derek's presence.

"I am Mr Derek Hamilton," Derek answered him, his voice a low dangerous peak.

"Mr Derek?," Richard began, suddenly realizing, the color draining from his face as the name sank in. "Oh, pardon me...I didn't know you were coming! Please, sit down." Richard gestured frantically toward a chair.

I heaved a deep breath, as I dropped the cup on a table. How in the world and why did Derek come here? Even I was confused but was grateful he saved me from this mess.

Derek did not sit. He didn't even acknowledge the offer. His gaze swept over the room, looking at the broken porcelain cup on the floor close to my feet. He stared at my terrified face and finally the resting cup on the table.

"It seems," Derek said, taking a slow, deliberate step closer to me, "I arrived just in time to stop a tragedy."

Katherine moved instantly, her desperation overwhelming her usual calculating nature. She brushed past me, adjusting her dress to showcase her figure, a pathetic attempt to capture the attention of Derek. I honestly never knew she was interested in Derek and my husband, the same damn time.

"Derek! I mean, Mr Hamilton," Katherine chirped, her voice two octaves higher than usual. "We were just having a .... family meeting you know. The broken cup on the floor...you know my best friend, Rose," she waved a smile at me. "Rose is usually so clumsy, she broke the cup." She fluttered her hand bear her throat, waiting for him to speak.

"Family meeting? I never knew you were a child of Hawthorne, woman," Derek answered, you could almost sense the anger in his tone. He ignored Katherine who now stood frozen and embarrassed.

"That face." Richard spoke. "Oh I recognize you from the funeral. The man who was speaking to my wife...But who invited you, I never knew the Derek Hamilton was in our guest list."

"That's because you are not thorough, Richard," Derek said, walking to the chair in a slow motion. We all followed soot, as we sat on our chairs following Derek. A stranger would think Derek owned this place, the way he moved.

"Now," Derek said, his voice dropping taking a dangerous edge. "I made a promise to Rose's father to keep an eye on her. Her father, made me promise him. So when she came to me, for a business deal, I accepted her offer right away. That was the only reason I struck this deal with her."

"Oh, Sir..," I choked out, my voice shaking, "I am really grateful Sir." I said, bowing my head a little bit, like a submissive wife. Derek suddenly chuckled a little as he looked at me. "No need for formalities, Rose. You can call me Derek, we are almost the same age."

"Thank you for all you do, Derek," Katherine chirped. "Don't call me Derek, the rest of you can address me as Sir or Mr Hamilton. I pardoned you the first time but not this time," Derek hissed.

I didn't why. But Derek was making it kind of obvious he had a grudge on them. I should had known he was a hot tempered man just like Richard. Katherine face frowned, this was honestly far too rude for her, she struggled to hide her anger as she clutched the hem of her gown tightly, her knuckles turning white.

"Isn't that too rude, Mr Derek?" Richard's mum asked, her voice rising an octave, trying to assert her authority as the matriarch. "You didn't greet me, can't you see I am an elder? Yet you want to command respect?"

Derek's eyes turned blood shot red as he stared at Eleanor, the coldness in them making the room feel freezing. He stood up slowly from his chair, adjusting his suit blazer with meticulous care. He totally ignored Eleanor comment leaving her embarrassed. He kept his gaze fixed on me, before turning his attention back to Richard.

"I need to speak with the owner of this house alone," Derek said, his voice deceptively quiet. Richard suddenly stood up, adjusting his jacket, attempting to regain some control. "Okay, you all go in while I speak with Mr Hamilton."

"I said the owner!" Derek repeated, his voice rising an octave, glaring directly at Richard."The owner. Are you the owner?"

Richard's face went purple, a mixture of pure rage and sheer panic, but he couldn't speak. He knew, and everyone in that room knew, that Richard was referring to me.