2. A dangerous preposition

Roseline's POV

It took me a minute for the gravity of his words to sink in and my mind raced to catch up.

"Are you serious?" I finally managed to find my voice. The words came out in disbelief. I could once again feel the anger rushing through my veins. 

What kind of girl is he thinking of? 

"I don't go joking around. Kitten!" He retorted, his tone dripping with confidence. "Come to my place tonight; we will have a discussion there, along with coffee." He paused for a second. "And maybe other things." I could hear his sinister intentions in his voice. 

I gulped and drawing a deep breath, I stood straight. I know Liam wanted to say something but before he could, I managed to say,

"There is no point in talking in private. They are my family. They would eventually come to know about it. You could talk to me here," I told him, clearly crossing my hand to my chest. 

"I am a very private and organized person. I don't think you would be pleased to hear in public what I want from you in return for saving this orphanage. And you are not in a position to argue. Today, at 8 PM, come to my home," he ordered.

"I won't" I declined his offer. I cannot trust this stranger, who weirdly feels familiar. 

"Nice, I like to take challenges." The sides of his lips twitched a bit. "Within two days, you will come to me begging to do as I wish." His words dripped with a calculated threat, as if he were ready to block all my ways if I had.

"There is no need for that because I will go to the courts. You can't have more power than the law. There must be a proper procedure for it. We would file a case against you."

My words didn't come out as confident as they should, and this is the fault of the thick atmosphere that he has created with his dominating personality. Without moving his gaze, he raised his hand and gestured something to his men. One of them rushed to us with a file. He took that file from him, pulled out the pages, and threw them in the air, which came down on me. 

"Court orders"

I gasped and blinked but he didn't seem bothered by any, and I was still not ready to step down, not at least do as he wished. 

"I will... I will return your money as soon as possible." I mentally slapped myself for stuttering. 

"Huh!"

His men, who were standing behind him, started laughing like maniacs, as if I had just cracked a joke. His jaw also twitched a bit, mocking me. Their amusement turned my blood to fire.

"I think you are forgetting that the man standing against you is Vincenzo De Luca." Pride and ego were dripping from his words when he took his name: "I could squeeze you and everyone you love with my fingers and no one would even question me." 

My breath caught in my throat when he threatened me. His expressions were still cold, but his eyes, which were penetrating my soul, spoke volumes, and the first thing I read in them was that he was dead set on making my life hell. 

"We will meet soon." His voice reverberated with a chilling finality, arrogance oozing from every pore.

With an air of superiority, he turned around after announcing his statement. His men immediately parted to clear his path and he walked away while buttoning his suit, each authoritative step accentuated by the clicking sound of his leather shoes against the floor, which could be easily heard in the otherwise silent surroundings. 

His lingering presence excused an aura of dominance, leaving behind a trail of his exquisite cologne, a lasting reminder of his intimidating personality.

"Why did you do that, Rose?"

I was still in shock when I was roughly turned around by my shoulder as he was out of my sight and the next person I saw was Liam, who was looking angry and frustrated at the same time. I could see possessiveness in his eyes. He always behaves as if he is my boyfriend when I don't think of him as anything more than my friend.

"What else would I have done, Liam? I can't sit back silently and let him do whatever he wants," I said in a little high tone. "You know that this orphanage has given me so much; it is the only place I know after spending those two horrible years. I would have died of depression if sister Mary hadn't helped me" my frustration coming out in my words "I couldn't let it demolish just like that" 

"Don't fight, kids, please." Sister Mary came to us and said, "This is time for all of us to stand together."

Her eyes were bloodshot red and she was gulping lumps, indicating that she was trying hard to control her emotions.

Sister Mary has been running this orphanage for decades. She has never complained about what life has given her and that resilience is something I have learned from her—keeping a smile on my lips even after all the hardships and being grateful for whatever God has blessed us with.

When a child gets hurt the person who feels his agony is his mother and right now all of her children are going to be homeless. How could she stay normal?

Her eyes, which always shine with the giggles of the kids, are now filled with helplessness.

My heart wretched looking at her in this situation.

"Have you thought about what we are going to do as he is looking determined to ruin us!" Emma asked in concern. 

"Whatever the case may be, you are not going to meet him in private. I can see through his eyes exactly what he wants from you. I will not let you go alone" Liam's words were laced with possessiveness which was not new to me. 

"Neither I am going to" I shrugged "Tomorrow is the announcement of the winner of investment. Just pray that our venture secures it. It would help us to provide bread and a roof for the kids" I said looking into oblivion

"But what if we didn't?" Emma pressed further.

"We will!" I declared confidently, trying to convince myself as much as her.

God couldn't be this cruel to us.

****

Third Person POV

Roseline was desperately clinging to the last hope, but little did she know that fate had other plans and unexpected challenges waiting for her ahead.