THE CEO BRIDE - CHAPTER 54&55
{ TRIALS 2 }
The car sped through the driveway before getting to the gigantic gate. The gate opened automatically and they drove into the huge mansion.
Romeo parked the car in the garage and Rosetta let out a smile whilst staring around. She wouldn’t deny she missed the house a lot! It was still as beautiful as they left it.
“Baby?” Romeo’s voice made her turn to him. He smiled gently before gesturing at the seatbelt.
“We’re here,” he muttered. She mouthed an ‘oh’ before removing the seat belt around her. They both alighted from the car and the guards who were guarding the house rushed to them.
“Boss!!!” They exclaimed, happiness visible in their voice. They quickly bowed their heads
“How have you been?” Romeo asked with a light smile.
“Fine. We’re so glad you’re back, thank you for being safe,” a guard said and Rosetta smiled at that.
Romeo pats their shoulder before facing Rosetta. He held the small of her back before entering the house.
“We’re finally back!” Rosetta settled herself on the bed, looking around the bedroom. It was exactly the way they left it.
“I need to be at the company, I’ll be right back,” Romeo kissed her cheek and she immediately held his hand, staring at him worriedly.
“So soon? We’re just arriving and you need to rest,” she protested and Romeo chuckled. Rest? When his company is at the brink of bankruptcy?
“Like I said, I’ll be right back. I just need to take care of some things,” he assured.
“Okay. Don’t stress yourself too much, okay? Be good,” Rosetta muttered and he kissed her in appreciation. Then, he left the room.
As soon as he left, a cold wash came over Rosetta. One which scared her a lot. Why does she feel things are gonna be different now that they’re back?
She was still deep in her thoughts when a maid entered the room. The maid smiled before moving closer to the bed where Rosetta sat.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Castillo” she greeted and Rosetta glanced at her.
“Good afternoon. You are?” Rosetta asked, staring at her. Even though she wasn’t familiar with the maids in the house, she could tell who is who.
“Oh… Your new personal maid, I’m Anaya” Anaya muttered with a smile.
“Personal maid? I did not remember asking for one” Rosetta frowned. Was Romeo playing tricks on her again?
“It’s fine. I hope we get along,” She flashed a smile at Anaya.
“I should prepare your bath. Your trip must have been exhausting,” Anaya said.
“Yes, it was” Rosetta agreed with a chuckle.
🗣️ It’s sir Romeo!
🗣️ He’s back! Thankfully, everything will be fine now!
🗣️ He had to rush back from his honeymoon just to save his company. Aww, I pray those bastards get to book!
🗣️ Good morning, sir Romeo.
🗣️ Good morning, Boss.
🗣️ Good morning, Boss.
Romeo had a straight look on his face as he walked to the elevator. His gaze was hard and his jaw was clenched.
“Boss!!! Finally!” Diego cried, rushing to Romeo. Romeo glanced at him and sighed. Diego’s face was rumpled, there were wrinkles on his forehead and his eyes were red.
“Have you been resting at all?” He asked.
“Rest? I can’t do that when the company is at stake! I’m restless,” Diego cried. The elevator opened and they both entered.
“Prepare a board meeting immediately,” Romeo ordered.
“Sure Boss!” The elevator dinged and they both walked out of it. Diego went another way while Romeo walked to his office. He entered and met Marcus by his computer, with few other staff around him.
“Good morning, sir Romeo” The staff greeted and Marcus raised his head. He quickly gestured to Romeo to get closer.
“Everyone leave!” Romeo ordered loudly and the staff scurried out immediately. Romeo went to Marcus.
“You need to see this,” Marcus shifted the computer to Romeo so he could take a glance at it.
“Freudian is the one behind this” he informed. Romeo nodded, still staring at the computer.
“I know. That bastard,” Romeo gritted his teeth.
“He just won’t give up, I have to put him back to his place,” he muttered.
“There’ll be a meeting in the next two minutes, I’ll announce what to do,” Romeo said.
“Okay. You arrived so early, how’s Rosetta?” Marcus asked.
“She’s fine. I haven’t told her though, I just don’t want her to get worried,” Romeo muttered, walking to the window.
“She’s your wife, Romeo. She deserves to know everything going on with you,” Marcus said.
“How’s Valeria? Your proposal is ruined,” Romeo stared outside the window. He was acting cool but deep down, he was troubled. He knew Freudian and his father would never back down till they eliminate him, just like his mother.
“Oh, that! I proposed to her already,” Marcus’s ears turned pink and he itches his head cutely.
“I couldn’t wait. And I almost lost her because of my delay. I don’t wanna risk it, she’s my life, yunno?” Romeo smiled slightly at that. He knows how much Marcus loves Valeria. He can die for her.
The door opened and Diego entered. Then he said, “the board members are all present in the boardroom, Boss” he announced.
“Okay, let’s go, Marcus” Romeo left the office and Marcus followed suit.
They arrived at the boardroom to find the members murmuring amongst themselves. On sighting Romeo, the room went silent.
Romeo walked to the front seat and they all greeted him which he replied with a curt nod.
“Was wondering when you’re actually going to return. Thankfully, you did it on time” a member said.
“What are we going to do now? Our company is going down! The investors are withdrawing their shares, the stock price is going down! What the hell is going on?” Another member said loudly.
“If the company should crash, then what’s the use of staying here? We’re gonna get poor at this rate!” Soon, the room became noisy as they all began arguing amongst themselves.
“Silence!!!” Romeo barked, banging the table loud. Everywhere became silent immediately.
“Do you think this was my wish too? For fûck sake, I was just absent for some days and this had to happen? Are you all that incompetent? How did this happen in the first place?”
“And yet, you had to put the blame on me? You mean, I would ruin my own company myself? My own sweat?” He thundered. No single soul could utter a word.
“If you know you can’t cope with this, if you’re not patient enough, then leave my company! I won’t abhor ingrates here!” No one stood up, they all bowed their heads instead.
“I’d repeat myself. If you aren’t patient enough till this company gets back to itself, then use the exit door” Romeo said again and yet, no one stood up.
Marcus smiled where he was. No one could leave, they’d never leave, not after all Romeo did for them.
“Forgive our outburst, sir Romeo. We lost our senses for a short while,” a man said.
“We can’t possibly leave this on you, sir Romeo. Have you forgotten how we all suffered together? Our sweats? Our sleepless nights?”
“You have helped us enough, sir Romeo. You’re like a son to me, I can’t possibly leave you when you need us the most”
For a moment, Romeo felt a surge of Emotions rushing through him. This was it, the motivation he needed. Two heads they say is better than one.
“Have you packed it, Anaya?” Rosetta walked into the kitchen, holding a lunch bag in her hand. Anaya turned and nodded with a smile.
“Thanks,” Rosetta gently placed the flask in the lunch bag with her and packaged it well. They left Bora Bora that morning after only drinking a cup of tea and snacks. And they had nothing else after that.
She decided to prepare lunch and take it to Romeo. He suddenly left the moment they arrived, she knew he’d probably be hungry.
“Sir Romeo would be so surprised and of course happy when he sees you. It’s gonna be so cute,” Anaya gushed, clapping her hands in excitement.
“Stop joking around,” Rosetta chuckled. She held the lunch bag tightly in her hand. She hopes he doesn’t refuse this because she made it with all the fiber in her.
Rosetta left the house and arrived at the company through the help of the guards. She had refused them but they insisted. She was their Boss’s wife after all.
“We’ll be outside waiting for you, Mrs. Castillo” a guard said to her. Rosetta nodded curtly before making her way into the company.
She got to the elevator through the help of the receptionist and before she knew it, she was inside playing with her fingers absentmindedly.
The elevator dinged and she came out of it. That moment, a man was rushing towards her. He seemed to be in a hurry as he bumped into her hard. The box in his hand fell and the papers flew out, scattering on the floor.
Rosetta gasped and immediately bent on her knees, picking the papers one by one.
“I’m so sorry, please forgive me” she apologized. The man ignored her and quickly packed the files on the floor. He snatched the one from her hand and it tore in that process.
“Oh my!” Rosetta gasped and he cursed inwardly. He pushed her with a hand and she fell on her butt. He picked the box and rushed into the elevator without a word.
“What’s wrong with him?” Rosetta wondered, staring at the piece of paper in her hand. She’s about to throw it away when her eyes caught the heading.
★ RECORDS OF APRIL’S STOCKPILE ★
“Rose?” She spun around to find Romeo and Marcus behind her. A smile formed on her face and she completely forgot about the paper in her hand.
“Romeo!” She rushed to him and held his hand. It’s been how many hours and she misses him this much?
“What are you doing here?” Romeo asked and she raised the lunch bag to his face.
“I made you these,” she grinned. Marcus smiled where he stood.
“You left without eating anything, I was so worried” Rosetta pouted and Romeo smiled. He leaned down to her ears and then whispered.
“Have I ever told you that you’re the best? The best wife in the world,” he whispered and Rosetta’s cheeks turned pink immediately. She blinked her eyes when he stood upright.
“Thanks darling wife, I’ll make sure to eat this” he winked.
“I suggest you stay behind and watch him eat in your presence cos I know he won’t touch the food,” Marcus said.
“Should I?” Rosetta grinned.
“Do you know what this is?” Rosetta showed Marcus the piece of paper in her hand. Romeo was eating, he refused at first but after a lot of persuasion, he was finally eating it.
“What?” Marcus collected it from her and glanced through it. His eyes widened after reading it.
“Where did you get these from?” He asked slowly, his eyes slowly turning into a dangerous one.
“I don’t know. He was rushing off and… He seems to be in a hurry,” Rosetta said.
“Romeo, you need to see this!” Marcus went to Romeo. He showed him the paper and Romeo chuckled…. An evil one.
“I knew it. There’s a spy,” he shook his eyes. He stood up and left the table. Rosetta went to cover the flask and then packaged it together.
“Spy? Who would dare betray you?” She asked, walking to him.
“Someone is selling our company information out” Marcus informed her. Rosetta gasped.
“Wh… What?”
“We’re having a hard time, Rose. Our company might go down at this rate,” Marcus went further and Rosetta’s eyes widened like saucers.
“Go down?” She whispered, blinking her eyes rapidly in shock.
“That’s enough, Marcus. We aren’t going down, not when I’m still alive,” Romeo gritted, still staring at the paper in his hand.
“The CCTV!” Rosetta suddenly yelled. Marcus and Romeo turned to her.
“You can check the records, it’s not too late to find the spy!” She said and for a moment, Romeo was dumbfounded. Why didn’t he think of this earlier?
Diego came in at that moment, he was panting heavily.
“We caught him!” He screamed and Romeo’s attention went to him.
“What did you say?” He asked and Diego released a heavy breath, trying to calm himself down.
“The spy! We caught him!” He said, this time happiness evident in his voice.
“He was looking for something, I guess he lost one of the company’s files and he was looking for it. Thankfully, I was on my way here at that moment, he looked suspicious, so I went to him. Lo and behold, he was the spy!” Diego narrated, beaming with smiles.
“Then, does that mean Rosetta helped us?” Marcus asked and their attention went to Rosetta.
“It’s obvious that he was looking for the torn paper which was with Rosetta. If she hadn’t arrived here, then we don’t know what next” Marcus said.
Romeo stared at Rosetta. A sudden swell of proudness swelled up within him and for the first time that day, he let out a smile… A genuine one.
“Where’s the spy now?” Romeo asked.
“In the interrogation room” Diego replied and he nodded.
“Stay there with him, I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Romeo instructed. Diego left.
“You did well, Rose. All thanks to you,” Marcus said to Rosetta and she scoffed.
“I think you should be thanking your friend who kept all this from me? Humph!” Rosetta snorted.
Romeo smiled before walking to her. He placed his hand around her waist and Rosetta tried her best not to smile
“Are you mad at me?” He asked softly. Rosetta rolled her eyes and then released a short laughter.
“Stop giving me that cute look, Mr. Knight. That ain’t gonna work on me,” she poke his chest and Romeo joined her in laughing.
Marcus was all smiles as he walked to where his phone was. He was shocked to find missed calls from an unknown number.
He was about to call the person when his phone rang again… That same number.
“Hello,” he said.
“Am I speaking to Ms. Valeria’s boyfriend?” A female voice asked after he had picked the call.
“Husband,” Marcus corrected with a smile.
“Oh… I’m sorry to inform you that your wife is currently in our hospital. She was involved in an accident and is in a critical condition right now”
“What are you saying? My wife is at home, I left her there” Marcus was confused.
“Valeria Garth,” the lady said and his eyes widened.
“Where the fûck is your hospital?!!!” Marcus yelled, veins popping on his neck.
Marcus rushed like a mad man into the hospital, going straight to the receptionist. Romeo and Rosetta were right behind him.
“How can I help you please?” The receptionist asked with a smile.
That moment, they found the nurses and Doctor rushing to a particular ward. Marcus lost his senses and rushed to the place immediately.
“Marcus!!” Romeo rushed after him.
Marcus got to the ward just in time to find the nurses covering a particular body with a cloth.
“…..Time of death 6:00pm, April 25th 2019” Hearing that, Marcus’s blood went cold immediately.
“V…. Val” he stuttered with the last strength in him, because that moment, he found his soul leaving his body…. His happiness.
TBC