A Night With My Boss

18

CHAPTER 18

NO WORDS can expressed Roselle's emotions right now. Astounded. Weirded. And more. Questions popped up one after another.

What is he doing here?

He's in relationship with Jisoo? How? When? Why?

But as much as she wants that to be answered, it was left unanswered. After looking at his stone cold glares, she believes she don't have a right and the courage to ask.

"Don't you know him, love?" Roselle woke up from her reverie when she felt Ian's arm snaked on her small waist.

Confused. Her eyes wandered searching for the right words to answer. Stuttering she said "D-do I?"

"Of course you do, he's the son of your boss" Ian whispered but she bet Justin heard it too seeing his eyes from her transferred to him.

Roselle looked at Ian with worries, she saw how Ian's eyes expressed emotions. She saw anger, the opposite of his grinning face.

"R-right!" She faked a smile "I saw him in the building a few times"

She saw how Justin's right brow rose at her lie and then he smirked - finding her lies funny.

She just wanted to evaporate in that right moment and disappeared. She's very confused. With their set up, with Jisoo and Justin and most especially with Ian.

She thought Ian's keeping an eye on her? But why? He act like she don't know Justin. Doesn't he know Justin was the man she was into recently? Why didn't he said anything?

Ian just nodded at her "Can we talk?" Ian asked towards Justin.

Her heart beats hysterically. Justin looked at her with the same intensity of coldness on his eyes "Of course"

Hearing his voice made her shivers. She missed his voice and not to lie she missed him.

She'd been denying her feelings since they had a connection but for the first time she wanna be honest. Seeing him now and hearing he'll be flying away soon makes her wanna hug him as tightly as she could.

But she knows he feels the opposite. She was just one of his play toy and her expiration date just passed.

Thinking now, is Jisoo one of what he calls fling? Is she same as her? She bet no, seeing him here meeting with Jisoo's family.

Is it her the last victim of him? Is he planning to settle down with Jisoo? But why her? Out of all the woman, why her soon to be sister in law?

"We'll just talk" Ian whispered near her ear making her eyes from Justin settled on Ian "I'll send your father to the nearest hospital and everything will be fine. Let's talk about our plan later at night hmm?" Ian sweetly stated.

If only Roselle don't know him better. She would fall over him seeing him this sweet towards her. But she knows. The bruises and red traces on her body everytime he laid hands on her is enough to stop any feelings to grow deeper.

She felt Ian's face comes nearer on her, inches apart. She don't want him to kiss her but the last words he said to her lingered as if a poison.

"I will sent your father to the nearest hospital"

Who is she to not give in to him? It's just a kiss. It's not like someone will get mad.

And then she let him but just when his lips met hers, her eyes didn't. It went to the same person she was thinking of for days.

Justin was walking away with Jisoo pulling his arms but same as her, his eyes was on her. Watching her kiss another man and not him.

Roselle stayed in the corner eyeing them as they both talk, she felt like there's something running on her chest everytime she saw Ian crease his forehead.

Unlike Ian, Justin would seldom respond to whatever they're talking. And opposite to Ian, the guy's face was all serious.

She will die of curiosity. It was almost 30 minutes when her eyes landed to the old couple coming in from the entrance of the house.

It was Ian's parents. Roselle looked over Ian and saw him glanced to his parents and then to her.

She walked towards them to greet them.

"Rosie, my sweetheart. You're here" Ian's mom spread her arms expecting a hug from her and Roselle did gave her one "It's been what? God, you're still as pretty as before. Even prettier"

Roselle just responded a smile to the sweet woman. Unlike Ian and Jisoo, their mom was the sweetest. She treated her like a family, and she was grateful about that. Which makes her very difficult to cut the tie of their connection.

Roselle's eyes went to the old man beside Ian's mom. Roselle bowed to greet the old man but the old man was wearing his usual stoic face, which Roselle finds intimidating.

"Ian took great care of you dear. You look blooming" Ian's mom. If only they know, she wanna respond.

Roselle felt an arm hugged her waist and as expected it was Ian "Mom, you came"

Ian kissed his mom's cheek as they greet each other. Roselle stayed beside Ian, Ian was pulling her with him as he guide his parents to the table outside.

Roselle didn't even notice the arrivals of their visitors. She saw familiar faces from Ian's old friends and some business associates.

She even saw some model friends of Jisoo, sitting at a corner table.

Is there something important happening?

The party started. She was sitting infront of the flatform stage in the center of the garden. With people smiling to Ian who was in the front speaking his gratefulness to their arrivals.

But hers was the opposite, she can't even smile a bit 'cause apparently she was in a one table with Justin.

"Thank you for giving time on attending my small party" Roselle wandered her eyes, to the beautiful decors and the efforted buffet sets.

Yeah right! This is just a small party for them.

"This party is very important for me. This is one of the most important day of my life"

Roselle's brows scrunched. Today isn't Ian's birthday. Ian looked at her lovingly with a smile on his face.

"But I won't spoil. The party has just started, let's enjoy" The crowd chuckle at his tease. His friends even cheered for him.

Roselle faked a smile when she felt Ian's mom squeezed her hand resting on the table. Her eyes landed on Jisoo, and she felt weirded with the way the woman looked at her.

She was faking the smile on her face as she looked at her. As if Jisoo was expecting something to happen today that will surely be the worst for her.

The party continued. Roselle stayed silent, sitting on her chair. Ian's mom would frequently asked her questions and she would answered. Not even paying a glance to the person infront of her.

If looks could kill, she would have received tons of stabs from the way she can feel his stares. But she never look his way. She's afraid to, she may evaporate with the way he looks at her.

The clanking of the wine glass and the small spoon on Ian's hand stopped the background music and the talkings.

With a smile on his face, he went back up on the flatform stage "I would like to announce something"

Roselle touched her chest, she don't know but she suddenly felt like there's something running on her chest. She felt like whatever Ian is gonna tell, she won't like it.

"I'm getting older" Ian's started, earning a loud tease from his friends shouting "yes you are"

The crowd released a crispy laughs from the interaction "Stop it guys. I'm serious here" Ian responded with a ghost of smile on his face.

The tension Roselle suddenly felt was slowly growing. She don't want to stay any longer, waiting for anything that Ian was supposed to say.

She slowly stood up, excusing herself to go for a restroom but Jisoo stopped her.

"Where are you going?" Jisoo asked with brows furrowed.

"I'll just go to the restroom" Roselle stated lowering her voice as she slightly squat.

"Why now?" Jisoo's right brow arched up "Can't you see? Oppa has something to announce. Can you act up a bit like you're concern and you care"

What she said made Roselle scowled. Jisoo is embarassing her. Expressing her hideous attitude, out of all the time. She chose now.

"Jisoo" Her mom called her. She must've heard the way how her only daughter act towards her.

Acting all immature. She was raised all demure and composed by her mom but she was acting the opposite.

It was Roselle that was supposed to be not embarrassed because she didn't do anything wrong. But she chose to sit back, slowly looking at the man beside Jisoo who was still staring at her.

She felt her cheek heat up at the suddenly tension because of what Jisoo did. Roselle met Justin's eyes, but it just shows coldness. The same way since he came. She awkwardly avoided his eyes.

"I already reached almost everything. I got my own business, I got money, I finished school and earned a degree" Roselle continued listening to Ian "But I felt like there's still something I haven't reach. I felt like there's still space and without it I won't be complete"

Roselle glanced again to where Justin was, expecting he won't be staring at her but he was. She rose her brows asking him what he wants, but the man just gave her a small smirk.

What was that? Do he need something?

"And then I met her, the woman I wanna stay forever. My Rosie"

Roselle jerked up hearing her name. She was busy feeling Justin's presence just on the corner of her. She looked up at Ian, already watching her.

Roselle's eyes wandered around and met tons of pairs of eyes, mirroring Ian's eyes.

What? What did he said?

"I don't wanna say a lot right now. I have a planned day for this but I can't help it" Ian chuckled as he said that on the mic he was holding "Chaeng. Hon, come here"

And the running Roselle felt on her chest, slowly started a marathon. She pointed herself, asking Ian if it was her he wants with him on the flatform stage.

"Of course it's you. You silly, it's only you who I want" What he said made the visitors released a tease sounds. Ian's friends even jokingly whistled at them.

With a slightly trembling knees, Roselle slowly stood up. Nervously playing with her hands as she went towards where Ian was.

Ian welcomed her by snaking his arm around her small waist. She's nervous and confused at the same time.

A scenario was forming in her head but she discard it. She don't want that idea to happen. Cross-finger it won't.

"This woman, right here" Ian pulled her towards him even more closer "Is the love of my life"

Roselle's eyes grew wider. They've been together for years but never did Ian expressed his feelings towards her so vocally. It was always through physical, his force kiss and the way he wanna chain her just for her not to get steal by others.

She knows Ian is in love with her but she never thought he would tell it to the world like this. And with the person she wanted the most to not know.

Roselle's eyes landed on Justin, but he was busy communicating with Jisoo. She saw how Jisoo moved her chair more closer to him and started touching him anywhere.

Her eyes twitched, not wanting to witness where Jisoo's hand was touching.

"The kind of love I wanna treasure. The kind of love I wanna feel forever. The kind of love I wanna proceed to marriage"

The crowd started wooing with what he said, and the man she has been watching snapped his head meeting her eyes.

Roselle looked at him, her eyes screaming disagreement making Justin's brow furrowed. She may looked like she's asking for his help but she don't care, 'cause she have been wanting to ask for someone's help all along.

She was busy looking at Justin that she didn't notice Ian. Not when the crowd yelled. She snapped her head beside her but Ian wasn't there. She didn't even notice the absence of his touch.

But because he was below her. He was on the floor, he was on his knee. With a red velvet box on his hand.

Roselle's mouth went wide open at the sight of Ian kneeling. A tear was brimming on her eyes. Others might assume she was happy, she was tearing because of joy.

But she wasn't. She was tearing because she was helpless and hopeless. She wanna curse. She wanna shout "f**k FREEDOM, I HAVE NONE!"

"Park Roselle" Ian softly said, but her mind was clouded. She barely hear something, even the screams of the crowd.

"Will you marry me?" And that was it. She went deaf, as if she can hear a flat line hearing that words come out of Ian's mouth. Her life is same as death without her freedom and being controlled.

But with all the deafening, she still expected something from that one man infront of her. Staring blankly at her, no emotions on his eyes. Even just one word from him. Even if just one "No"

She's ready to run with him if only he isn't a coward for her.