Chapter 5 – Unlikely Encounters
ROSE
I frowned as I played with the chicken on my plate and I stared at my parents.
“Why does this business partner insist on meeting me?” I asked.
My parents were at a loss, it seems they didn’t know anything about it either.
“We really don’t know. It’s been a while since the firm approached us for business but not without meeting the heiress,” my father answered.
I nodded, “Alright, set up a meeting for tomorrow then.”
My parents stared at me like I’d just lost my
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Chapter 5 Unlikely Encounters
mind. They were still worried about me, and I couldn’t blame them. I was trying to act like I had everything under control, but my heart was still a mess.
“Rose, are you sure you want to meet this business partner so soon?” Mom asked, breaking the silence. “You‘ ve barely had time to settle in.”
I glanced up and saw the hesitation in her eyes. She was afraid I was taking on too much, too fast.
“I’m sure,” I replied firmly. “I need this, Mom. I can’t sit around and do nothing.
Keeping busy is exactly what I need right now.”
Dad leaned back in his chair, studying me for a moment. “We don’t know much about
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him,” he said. “Only that he’s expressed interest in investing, but he insists on meeting you specifically. It’s a little unusual.”
I frowned. “I’m finding that odd too. He could have agreed to meet with either of you or Liam so why me?”
“We don’t know,” Mom admitted. “But if you’re up for it, we can set up the meeting for tomorrow.”
“I am,” I said without hesitation. “Let’s do it. It’ll be a good distraction.”
Mom sighed, but she nodded, a small smile on her face. “Alright, but take it one step at a time, Rose. No need to push yourself too hard.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assured her, though I
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Chapter 5- Unlikely Encounters
wasn’t entirely sure I believed it myself.
After dinner, I wandered outside into the garden. The air was cool and crisp, the faint scent of roses lingering in the breeze. I traced my fingers over the petals of a blooming rosebush, the soft texture bringing back memories I didn’t want to relive.
Jacob used to bring me roses. Red, white, yellow–it didn’t matter. He said they were his way of showing how much he loved me. Back then, I believed him. I believed in every word, and every gesture. But now, those
memories felt like a cruel joke, a reminder of
how blind I had been.
A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. I quickly wiped it away, angry at myself for letting him still have this power
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over me.
“Hey,” a voice called softly from behind me.
I turned to see Liam standing a few steps away, his hands in his pockets. He looked at me with concern, his usual playful demeanor replaced with quiet understanding.
“You okay?” he asked, stepping closer.
I tried to smile, but it came out shaky. “Yeah. Just… thinking.”
Liam didn’t push. Instead, he stood beside me, staring out at the dark sky. “You know, we’re here for you, right? Mom, Dad, me- we’ve got your back. Always.”
His words were simple, but they carried a weight that made my chest tighten.
“I know,” I said softly, my voice barely
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Chapter 5- Unlikely Encounters
restaurant felt longer than it should have, my mind running through all the possible scenarios. Who was this business partner? And why did they want to meet me?
When I arrived, a hostess led me to a private room in the back.
“Right this way, Miss,” the hostess said, pointing at a door.
The door was slightly ajar, and I could see a figure standing near the window.
“Thank you,” I smiled at her.
My heels clicked softly against the floor as I approached, and when the person turned around, my breath caught in my throat.
“Xander Biden,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
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restaurant felt longer than it should have, my mind running through all the possible scenarios. Who was this business partner? And why did they want to meet me?
When I arrived, a hostess led me to a private room in the back.
“Right this way, Miss,” the hostess said, pointing at a door.
The door was slightly ajar, and I could see a figure standing near the window.
“Thank you,” I smiled at her.
My heels clicked softly against the floor as I approached, and when the person turned around, my breath caught in my throat.
“Xander Biden,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
