3 - The rejection

"What are you not telling me Hazel?" The mistress demanded, glaring daggers at Hazel. She remained kneeling on the floor, shuddering under the angry glare of her madame.

"Nothing ma'am, I am hiding nothing from you, I have no idea why he chose me." She pleaded. How was she to know? She had never seen Mr Rossi before today nor had she spoken to him prior to the incident where she bumped into him. She too was too baffled and bewildered by his picking of her. Over Alva! He must be insane, not only had he caused chaos in the household now, but he had also endangered her job, and possibly her life.

"Lies." She hissed, sending a harsh slap across her face.

Hazel whimpered, the sting rang through her, causing her to cup her cheeks and wince. "I am not lying." She cried, "please believe me ma'am."

But she wouldn't listen to her one bit, she was too blinded by her fit of rage. She would not allow her daughter's reputation be destroyed by this stupid maid. All the announcements that had been made! What shall she tell the paparazzi? Her friends? Their business partners? "Shut up! Whatever spell it is you have put upon him, you must remove it. He belongs to my daughter!"

"You are nothing but a lowly servant!" She continued "How could he choose you over a successful woman as my daughter?"

Hazel let out a sob, she already knew all this, she already knew she was a lowly servant, she already knew she in no way was as beautiful or worthy as Alva, when will they understand that none of this was her fault? "I have no idea ma'am, believe me, I have nothing to do with this."

"Believe you? I will never believe you." She spat.

Hazel sniffled, wiping her tears away with her palm. "What shall I do for you to believe me ma'am?"

"Reject the proposal." Mrs Rogers declared.

Hazel breathed, of course, she didn't mind doing so, she had no wish to get married to a man she did not know. That was how rich people got married, not commoners like her. But how does she meet him do so? "B...but how?"

The madame smiled wickedly in response. "You will go to his Empire! And you will reject his proposal!"

Hazel's eyes widened. "But a commoner like me could never be allowed in there..." That was the truth, no one was allowed near the empire, not paparazzi, and not commoners. Anyone who did so risked an arrest or a lawsuit.

The madame let out a dry laugh, flinging her hair to the side casually. "I do not care Hazel... But if you return here without rejecting that proposal, I will kill you myself."

Hazel froze, cowering away. She could see the anger and malice written in her eyes, she definitely meant every word she spoke.

"Do you understand that? You stupid girl?!" She barked.

She whimpered, shrivelling away. "Yes, yes I do. I will reject his proposal."

***

Hand gripping her bag tightly, Hazel limped home silently that evening, she had been sent home without any payment, she wasn't allowed to return to her job without calling off the proposal first.

How will she buy her grand mother's medications now? How will they feed? Finding jobs wasn't something that happened easily in this bustling city, any one she managed to come across now would definitely pay her much lesser than she could manage to take care of her grandmother with.

And soon, the news of this scandal will spread like wildfire, and she may not be able to get a job at all.

She knew the Rogers will tell any lie to the news to save their name, and whatever it was would only be to the detriment of her own reputation.

Her grandmother will be utterly disappointed to have her go home like this, in shame.

She inhaled deeply as she approached their tiny apartment, head hanging low. She hesitated to knock on the door. But in the end, she knew she couldn't keep standing outside this late. She knocked.

"Hazel? Is that you?" Grandma's soft cheerful voice came from behind the door.

"Yes mum, it is me." Hazel affirmed, her voice low and weak.

The door jerked open immediately.

"Hazel." The elderly woman squealed in excitement, wrapping her arms around her. "You are back!"

"Yes I am." She forced a smile, returning her hug.

"Well come right in, you must be hungry. Dinner is ready." She pulled her into the house hastily, shutting the door behind them. "You should freshen up quickly and come down."

Hazel nodded silently, climbing up their small wooden stairs to her room.

For as long as she could remember now, Hazel lived here with her grandmother. Her memory of her parents was very hazy and almost void. All she knew was that they had died in a car crash when she was little, and since then she has lived with her grandparents. Till her grandpa passed on few years ago, leaving her and her grandma to themselves. Since then, Hazel has worked to fend for both of them as much as she could, while grandma grew and sold vegetables in the market every weekend.

The fresh fruit and veggies their small garden could provide would barely be enough to feed and cater for them.

Hazel showered slowly, pondering breaking the news to her grandma. Silently she wondered how long it would take before it is in the news, before she was being followed everywhere by the paparazzi, asking excessive questions and putting her and her grandma at risk.

Hazel closed her eyes as she showered, remembering Lucas Rossi and his grey eyes, how cold and unfeeling they seemed. How? Why? Why did he choose her? Was it a prank? A joke? Some act of vengeance? She would never be able to tell.

She dried herself hastily as she stepped out her bathroom. She did not know how she was going to do it, but she would get to the bottom of this, she will get the answers she needs from Mr. Rossi one way or another, she would not stand and let this scandal ruin her. There was no way in hell Mr. Rossi truly intended to marry a servant such as herself.

She walked to the mirror in her room, starring at herself.

What did he see in her? There couldn't possibly be any beauty in her to compare to that Alva, so what was this? Was this his way of punishing her for bumping into him?

Will he eventually call all of this off as a joke and have reap the consequence alone?

Whatever it was. Tomorrow morning, she would not leave the Rossi Empire until she has the answers she sought.

***

When the sun rose, Hazel was dressed and out of her hoise really early.

She had hugged her grandma as tight as she could. She knew if she got arrested, the poor woman wouldn't even have any money to bail her out.

Yet she did not let the fear of getting arrested hold her back. She was going to make sure the answers came, arrested or not.

She walked hastily as she came out of the street to stop a cab.

The Rossi Empire stood intimidatingly high and tall in front of her.

She quivered as she walked carefully to the front of her gates.

How would I even get in? She wondered.

She didn't need to be told that these gates were probably electric gates. She stared up at the camera in front of the gates, swallowing.

She continued to stare for the longest time, hoping whoever behind it would soon come down to check why she was there.

Soon enough, a dark figure in a suit begun to approach.

She clasped her hands together tightly, inhaling deeply as he approached. She could not believe anyone wood have bothered to come out at all. As the man approached her she fidgeted with her fingers, as she noticed he wasn't Mr. Rossi.

"What are you doing here?" he asked from behind the rails of the gates.

"I am here to see Lucas Rossi." She responded.

"What business do you have to Mr. Rossi?" He breathed in monotone.

"It is... Undefined." She exhaled. "But it is urgent, I really need to see Mr. Rossi."

The man glared sternly at herm "Ma'am you already know trespassers are not allowed here."

Hazel took a few steps forward, careful not to touch the gate and risk being electrocuted. "I know that sir, but I assure you it is very important."

He shook his head in disagreement. "I am sorry miss, but you must leave this premises immediately."

Hazel gasped, her shoulders falling with disappointed. "I can't leave I..."

"If you can't leave, then you will be arrested." He warned sternly, his face devoid of emotions.

Hazel placed her palms together in plea, her brows furrowed and lower lip quivering lightly. "Please just listen to me, tell him I have a message from Miss Roger's servant."

He stared at her for a brief second, weighing his answers. And to her relief he took a few steps back, sliding his phone out of his pocket. "Okay."

He backed away from her by a few metres as he dialed on the phone.

Tense, she watched him speak quietly into the phone for several seconds.

Soon, he hung up, taking several steps back to the gate.

She clasped her hands, shoulders tense with anxiety. "What did he say? Can I see him now?"

He shook his head. "No, he has insisted that you state your message precisely to me."

A look of defiance appeared upon her face, and she felt the temptation to grab the gate and shake it vigorously while screaming her refusal for him to hear from wherever he is. Yet she held herself back. "Tell him I reject his proposal." She spat distastefully.

How could he be so proud?! After declaring he would marry her against her will, he doesn't even spare her the decency of allowing her through the gates! This man must be a vile tyrant, she would never marry such a pompous and arrogant enslaver.

"Proposal?" The man frowned.

She nodded. "Indeed, tell him I reject his proposal and he should end this madness immediately. I will not be getting married to him ever."

He stared at her with a look of disbelief, like he couldn't belief the prominent Lucas Rossi would have proposed to such a common thing as her. Yet he did.

"Okay..." The man breathed eventually, and she sighed in relief as she watched him strut away again for another phone call.

It took even longer seconds for him to be back this time around.

Her ears perked up as he returned, eager for a response. "What did he say?"

"Miss, he says his decision is final, and he will be getting married to you despite anyone's opinion on the matter." The man declared with a tone of finality.

Hazel's eyes widened, absolutely astounded by this declaration. "What is he crazy?!"

So he wasn't joking afterall? He did intend to marry her!

The man shrugged. "He also says it is best you leave these premises immediately as it is about to rain."

She stared up at the sky, and truthfully, the clouds were getting very dark.

She nearly spat in disgust, she didn't need his concern. "He cannot get married to me against my will, I am a citizen! I have my rights, I will never be married against my will. I simply want this scandal to end, tell him to go back to Mrs. Rogers and leave my life alone! I will not be involved in this mess."

The man sighed in exhaustion. "Miss, whenever Lucas Rossi decides anything, it is final. I am afraid me returning again with the message of you rejection will simply not change his mind."

Hazel shook her head adamantly. "Tell him I would not leave these premises, until my demands are met."

Suddenly the man's phone rung again and he placed it to his ears. "Yes sir." He mumbled into it after a few seconds.

"Has he accepted my demands?" Hazel inquired, curious.

He shook his head. "No miss, he says I should inform you, you will be getting married in two weeks."

What! He must be crazy if he think he would force her into a marriage with him. Only rich people dared played such games with serious matters such as marriage, she was not one of them at all!

"Never!" She yelled. "I would not leave unless he comes out to see me now."

And with that statement of hers, the rain begun to pour.