CH 24

Bella said softly,

"Your mother was lucky, she had good and loving parents, she had a man who cared for her... look at me, I have no parents, no job, no husband. How am I supposed to care for this child? I don't ever want to be like my birth parents who abadoned me at the orphanage. If I want to keep this child, I have to have a constant supply of money but where will I see that? If not will I just give birth to the child and be unable to take care of him/her and have him take away from me?" At this point, tears were already dropping from Bella's eyes.

"I have no choice you see, none at all other than to do what's best for my child. I won't let him come to this world and suffer like his mother."

Robinson looked at her, for some reasons his heart seemed to ache when he sees her cry.

"Miss Bella, would you be interested in meeting my parents?"

**********

Damien had been recuperating at home even since he got discharged from the hospital. His sick leave was finally over, he was to resume to work today. He and Rose agreed to meet at the entrance of the company. They hadn't meet since he got discharged from the hospital, they only talked through phone, he wondered how she was doing now. Damien walked out of his apartment briskly, he had to catch the early bus so he could see his girlfriend's lovely face again.

Rose was in a very good mood, it's been days since she last saw Damien's face, she was finally gonna see him today.

"Quick, prepare the car. I'm going to work."

Rose did not see any reason or need to go to work when Damien was on sick leave, so she also took leave with him and now that he's resuming to work, she's also resuming too.

"Big Sis, where are you going to?" Robert strolled in lazily.

"Oh, I'm off to work" Rose said in a sing-song voice.

"Or you mean you are off to play?" Robert muttered.

"My sweet brother, are you saying something?"

Robert looked at the dangerous smile on Rose's face and immediately shaked his head in denial. Rose sighted the car from afar and said,

"Alright, I'm off to work. Tell mom and dad for me and don't spend too much time playing video games"

"Sis"

The Car parked right in front of Rose, she was just about to get in when her brother called her.

"Huh?"

"Don't worry, I'll make today worth your while." Robert said seriously.

"Mmm" Rose understood what he meant by that, she nodded and got in the car.

Robert watched as the car drove off, he then heard a voice behind him.

"Lazy brat, where's your sister?"

Robert froze as he turned to face his Father he thought, 'Great job, Sis.'

**********

Cass has been walking on eggshells around the company for the past few days. Ever since that unfortunate incident, her heart has not been at peace, she thought of how those men talked as if Rose had a bigshot backing her up, she'd been thinking that she would either be fired or something worse would happen to her but nothing of the sort had happened. She was right, that Rose girl was just a nobody... the person vwho could be backing her up probably doesn't have any power against LM company.

With this mentality of Cass, she stopped fretting and started walking freely again. As soon as she did this, she couldn't help but recall the previous humiliation that Rose had put her through.

Cass gritted her teeth as she remembered that particular day. After those two tied her to the bed and left her naked in such a compromising position, it was till evening when the cleaners were taking care of the motel rooms that she was found out.

She could still remember the look on that male cleaner's face when he opened the door and saw her like that. She was forced to beg, a whole her to beg a cleaner. Though she tipped him off to keep it a secret but it was and will always remain a shameful encounter for her.

Today was the day that Damien will be resuming to work, she's sure that that disgusting green tea b*tch will be here as well. She has to, afterall she's the star of the show today.

**********

Damien had been waiting for Rose but she had yet to show, he was about reach out for his phone to call her, when he heard her voice.

"Damien"

Damien turned around to see Rose running towards him, when she finally got she bent to catch her breath.

"Don't run again, what if you fall?"

Damien handed Rose a bottle of water. Rose drank a bit and gave the bottle back to Damien.

Damien looked at Rose in the eye and also brought the bottle to his mouth and drank from it.

Rose blushed, her mouth was wide agape.

"You... you"

'Doesn't that qualify as an indirect kiss?' Rose thought.

"I was thirsty also" Damien said to her.

"Lets go in" Damien grabbed Rose's hand and lead her into the office.

As soon as they both stepped foot into the office, people started giving Rose wierd looks and they started whispering about her.

"That's her"

"Really?

"I can't believe she can still hold her head high after all she has done"

"She's holding another man's hand"

"I can't believe she's allowing Mr. Damien to wear such a big green hat"

"She's such a whore"

When all these got to Damien's ear, he immediately covered Rose's ears and gave them a cold look that immediately shut them up. They didn't dare talk so loud anymore but they still did in low voices.

"Don't listen to them" Damien removed his hands and looked down at Rose.

"Mmm" Rose said with a smile. Her heart was all chummy when Damien covered her ears just now, she suspected her ears must be red by now.

Damien took a hold of Rose's hand and continued walking forward, ignoring all those who were whispering and marching to his office. But right there at the entrance of his office, Cassandra was waiting patiently for them both.

"Damien, you are back. How are you feeling now?" Cass said softly.

Damien frowned instinctively, "Mr."

"Huh?" Cass was confused.

"Call me Mr. Damien. We are not that close."

Rose giggled. Cass looked at her viciously.

'Laugh all you can now, cause very soon you will know shame and despair. I'll watch how Damien will leave you in the lurch after he hears everything.'

"Mr. Damien..." Cass called pitifully as she choked in a sob, her acting skills fully put in motion.

"I didn't mean to disrespect you, I just wanted to ask how you were faring."

"Good, excuse me" Damien intended on passing around her to enter into his office but Cass was adamantly preventing him from doing so. Damien paused and looked at Cass angrily, if eyes could kill it's very likely that Cass would have been dead by now.

"Mr. Damien, I have something to tell you but I don't now if I should" Cass pretended to hesitate, she kept on sneaking a peak at Rose. By now the workers in the office had crowded over them.

Damien frowned he had a feeling this was not gonna be good, he still hasn't looked for her to collect his debt yet she comes looking for his trouble... it seems like it's until she is ruined will she learn her lesson.

"Everyone in the office knows it already, so I thought it will be best to let you know so you won't be deceived by that wh*re in angel's clothing" Cass looked at Rose maliciously.

"I dare you to say that again" Damien was trying so hard to fight the urge to squeeze Cass neck and suck out all the air in her lungs. His tightly fisted hand was beginning to draw blood.

Rose rubbed her hands over Damien's fist, unfolded it and intertwined his hand with hers.

"What are you talking about? If I find you unable to prove your claim, you might find yourself eating rice and beans* tomorrow."

{Authors note: Rice and beans is standard prison food. Rose is saying she'll go to jail :)}

"Why won't I have proof? Check the company's homepage and see for yourself." Cass said confidently.

Damien brought out his phone and checked. When he saw what was there, his face became pale and he almost broke the phone that was in his hands. He looked at Rose's curious face.

"What's there? let me see" Rose said as she moved to snatch Damien's phone. Her phone was dead, she was in such a hurry to meet Damien that she forgot to charge it.

"Mr. Damien, do you see it now?" Cass continued with her speech softly.

"What the so- called person you loved has been doing behind your back?!" Cass said more fiercely this time.

"You don't need to see it and dirty your eyes" Damien said to Rose before looking over at Cass.

"It seems to me like you never do learn your lesson."