5. 365 days

Roseline's POV

"And the winner is..."

My eyes snapped open as he held on to a moment of silence. His lips parted with his gaze fixated on me as he announced the winner, as if he were waiting for me to open my eyes.

"None!"

"Huh?"

"What?"

"How is this possible?"

I could hear the murmurings of the audience, which was as surprised as me. My body froze in its place, drained of energy. I can't even move my finger; my eyes are locked on him.

Now, I am 100 percent sure that the winner was our venture and he has done this on purpose. He wants me to bend to his will and this seems the only way for him.

"Though the competition was fierce, none of the ventures were deemed worthy of the investment," he announced, disappointment lingering in the air. "But do not be disheartened. If you aspire to achieve something great in your life, you must learn to embrace failure as well. I encourage you to participate again and come up with even better ideas. Best of luck."

With his final words, he walked off the stage, disappearing from our sight.

The audience had quickly dispersed from the hall, leaving me sitting in my seat, feeling frozen and lifeless.

"I told you we wouldn't win." Emma's voice interrupted my reverie.

"We are the actual winners. He did this intentionally." I responded without looking at her. "I need to talk to him. I won't let go of what I deserve."

"The lives of the kids are in danger and you are still clinging to that hope. If you hadn't confronted him yesterday, he hadn't done this," she retorted with anger.

By this time, the hall was empty and her voice was echoing.

"I don't regret it. Now I just want answers from him about why he did injustice when we were winning." I felt a lump in my throat, which I gulped down.

This is not the time to feel weak.

"Cut the crap, Rose. It's enough" she stood up and shouted at me in frustration, "Just accept your defeat."

I shook my head.

"Then do whatever you want to do. I am going!" she shouted, not waiting a moment longer, and stormed out.

My eyes scanned the surroundings and landed on a crushed piece of paper lying on the stage. I was certain it was the same paper that had the name of the winner. I couldn't resist walking up to the stage and picking it up.

'Little Stars by Roseline'

This is enough!

How could he do this to me?

I felt a mix of anger and resentment rushing through my veins.

"Ma'am, please vacate the hall. I need to lock it," a staff member approached me.

I hurriedly left the hall, hiding the paper tightly clenched in my fist.

I searched for him, convinced that he hadn't left the building yet. I had to find him before he slipped away. I needed answers to all my questions.

"Where is Mr. Vincenzo De Luca?" I asked one of the men whom I could recognize, as he came yesterday to the orphanage along with him.

I was in haste; my body kept moving, anger coursing through my veins.

"Excuse me!"

"You heard what I said! Where is he?"

"Do you have any appointments?" I asked.

"I don't care about the appointment; I just want to meet him right now," I argued

"No, you can't. He is busy."

My eyes narrowed at him as my teeth gritted tightly. I am sure he is in the room and that they are guarding.

Fortunately, a heated argument broke out, diverting their attention. Seizing the opportunity, I dashed towards the room. But before I could open the door, two men grabbed me by the arms and lifted me off the ground. I thrashed in their hold, my feet desperately trying to find the floor, using every ounce of strength to propel myself forward. But, no matter how hard I fought, their strength overwhelmed me.

"Let her go!"

A deep, authoritative, and manly voice suddenly silenced everyone, and they released their hold on me as commanded. I could still feel the pain where they had grabbed me, but I ignored it and directed my glare at the traitor before me, hoping my anger would pierce through him. He seemed unaffected, his hands casually tucked into his pants pockets, standing there with his usual calm demeanor.

He calls himself an influence on the country but he is nothing more than a cheater and a liar.

He tilted his head slightly, which I took as a signal to open the door and enter the room. It appeared to be a study, with a desk and a chair positioned in the center. Without needing to turn around, I sensed his presence entering the room, causing the temperature to drop by three degrees.

Why is he so cold and inconsiderate?

What's there that life hasn't given him?

What injustice has God done to him that he is doing to innocent souls?

As he passed by me, I caught a whiff of his expensive cologne, his aura reeking of arrogance. I would have loved this smell only if we had met differently. He settled into the chair, exuding a sense of royalty.

"Why did you lie on the stage when it was me who was winning the investment?" I seethed, my anger barely contained.

"It was you who didn't want to talk to me in private. Isn't it? Then why shall I answer all your questions?" He shot back. 

"That's so wrong! The investment is rightfully mine."

I stomped my right foot as my palms curled into tight fists. Frustration consumed me, knowing that it was the last hope to provide a roof and food to kids.

"The money is mine, Ms. Roseline and I am the one who decides where I want to invest it. I don't see anything wrong with it." He wasn't even looking at me, as if I didn't matter. His focus was on finding something. 

I drew a sharp breath.

He is evil!

He did all this to make me submit. I took a step back to maintain a distance between us. 

"Why did you want me at your place?" I asked him directly. 

"Marry me," he said within a second. 

His words paralyzed me to my place and for a second, I thought my ears were ringing. I couldn't believe what he had just said. 

"Are you serious?" I asked him.

"Very much," he replied

"I won't marry you," I told him

"I have money, power, fame, and looks. Why are you throwing tantrums about marrying me? What more could you possibly want?"

"Heart! That you don't have," I shot back.

"Neither you are going to get it ever."

His words left me even more confused than before. And finally, he found the thing he was searching for, and that was a file. 

"I can't bear you for my whole life; that's why I have made a 365-day contract. During this time, my purpose of marrying you would be fulfilled. Just go through it because I don't want you to blame me for anything after the marriage."

My eyes flicked down to the file but I couldn't move towards it. I was fuming in anger. How could he dictate my life according to his whim?

"It's ok if you don't want to read it because any way you are going to sign it. I just want to make a few things clear."

He leaned forward, tented his fingers under his chin, and fixed his gaze on me with penetrating intensity.

"First and most important thing, you are not allowed to fall in love with me, and even if you did that, it would be your mistake. I won't be responsible for your heartbreak because I can never love you. Imbibe this rule in bold letters.

Pausing briefly, he allowed his words to sink in, giving me a moment to process their weight.

"My grandfather stays with me so you are required to behave normally in front of him. I don't want him to know the truth about this wedding. I will tell him that we are divorcing after the contract is over."

He drew a deep breath.

"And by the time you are with me, you will be longinging only for me. You are not allowed to get close to any other male,, even if it is your friend, Liam,," he asserted, his eyes piercing through mine.

I gulped as my eyes were still fixed on him. He is telling me the rules as if I am going to sign the contract.

"I am giving you two days to go through the sample contract and make your decision," he stated, leaning back in his chair. "I will come a day after tomorrow with the bulldozer and the original contract to claim either the property or you."

He cocked his head, giving me no time to respond.

"The choice is yours!"

~~~~~~~~

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