Unveiling Hearts

Chapter5

Rose sat down deep in thought as her brush dipped into the palette of watercolours placed beside her and stroked the canvas ever so gently.

“I want to go back to painting,” she said to Katherine a few days after the incident at the club. “ I think it’s time I focus on something else. Being sorry for myself and mopping every day would not help me.”

She was to meet with Smith for the first time since that horrid news and she had to distract herself with painting. There were so many conflicting feelings about her meeting with her husband. As she sat there lost in thought painting, her phone rang.

“Hello Smith,” Rose said.

Hearing his wife’s voice every time after this ugly truth resurfaced just broke him. He would do anything to get his baby girl again.

“How are you, my baby girl?” Silence was the only thing that responded on the phone. “ Just calling to remind you of our meeting with the donor family and my son later today.”

Rose inhaled a deep breath “ You’re calling him ‘your son’ now?” She scoffed “Anyways I’ll be there, anything else?”

Smith sighed defeatedly “Rose…I..I miss you, you don’t have to say anything back but please I hope for the sake of this child we can be United tonight”

“Goodbye Smith,” Rose said as she ended the call. In as much as she missed her husband, there were some things that apologies couldn’t fix. Maybe time could.

“Hey girl, ready to have breakfast?” Katherine snapped her out of her thoughts again as she walked into the room,

“Almost babe. I’ve been thinking about something. I want to go back to painting,” she said “ I think it’s time I distract myself and focus on my purpose. Being sorry for myself and mopping every day would not help me.”

Since Rose heard the truth, she had been stuck in bed wondering what next to do with her life. While she was with Smith, he refused to let her work.

“ You are my princess, all you need to do is enjoy life; travel, shop, and spend my money.” He said one day.

She even stopped doing the thing she loved doing most, even as a hobby and centred her life on the things he approved of. How wrong she was!

Katherine responds bringing her back from Rose’s drifted thoughts,“ Girl, that’s such a good idea, I’m in total support. What do you have in mind?”

“ Well, being a wife of a billionaire has its perks. I want to open an art gallery and host an art exhibition of all my works and also keep some spaces for other artists that would want to auction as well”, Rose says enthusiastically.

“He owes you that much,” Katherine chips in. “ It’s not even enough compared to how complicated he has made things be with you. I love the idea too. I’d help you with organization and sending out invites” she says as she giggles excitedly.

They get straight to work and list out all suitable buyers and lovers of art from my contacts and start looking for a building.

“I need a building that would accommodate all my artworks. You know I have so many and I want to add more” Rose says.

“I have a real estate friend. I will just put a call through to him and communicate with him.” Katherine adds.

“That’s perfect honey, I’m so excited. I have a feeling it’s going to be perfect.” Rose says feeling a sense of purpose for the first time in a while.

-

The cool breeze seeped into the cosy, quiet café where Rose and her husband Smith sat at a table near the window. Rose’s fingers nervously tap the edge of her coffee cup. She had a sunken feeling and she could sense why.

“I still can't believe you kept this from me. Five years, Smith.” Rose spat coldly.

“I know. I was wrong. But I wanted to do this right now, for James’ sake.” He said with pleading eyes.

“Let’s just get over tonight” Rose said.

The door chimed. The donor parents enter, hand in hand, with a lively 16-year-old boy, James, walking beside them. Rose freezes as her eyes meet Kevin. Her breath catches in her throat. This couldnt be happening.

There he was, hand in hand with Elena. She was gorgeous and that the least to say. Now this wasn’t what she expected tonight.

”Oh my God.” Rose whispered.

“Rose, this is …”

Rose interrupted, stunned “Kevin?”

“Rose? Wow... I didn’t expect this.” Kevin responded surprised but composed regardless

An awkward pause hangs between them.

“Do you two know each other? Smith interfered.

Elena cheerfully interfered “I would recognise that Red hair anywhere. You must be Rose .” She hugged Rose tightly “how are you? I would never in a million years thought you’d be the donor’s wife. You look beautiful “ Rose smiled shyly.

“And yes, we all went to school together. You must be Smith. Thank you for meeting us. Kevin’s been looking forward to this.”

With the way Rose was staring at Kevin, Smith knew that they weren’t just schoolmates and he wondered if he was overthinking the situation.

“Hi! It’s a pleasure to meet you too” Smith responded forcing a smile.

Rose looks down at the boy. At sixteen, James was a strikening resemblance of her husband. With a combination of lingering childhood innocence and budding maturity. He stood tall for his age, all elbows and knees, like a tree still working out how to carry its branches. His dark hair seemed a little messy, but that's why he was still a kid and there was a perpetual smudge of curiosity in the hazel eyes that peered out from beneath his thick eyebrows.

“Hello everyone, my name is James. It is a pleasure to meet you ma'am.” He said so sweetly Rose couldn't help but wrap her arms around him.

“You're such a young gentleman, its nice to meet you too.” She grinned

After introductions, they all sat down. Small talk followed, but Rose remained tense, barely able to process the presence of Kevin ,her high school crush, now tied to this secret from her husband's past.

Elena spoke” You know, I and Kevin were high school sweethearts and now we are married. Interesting right?”

“You could say that.” Rose said dryly

“Life has a strange way of reconnecting people, doesn't it?” Kevin adds while staring at Rose

Rose’s jaw tightens, but she softens under his familiar warmth in his blue ocean eyes. Elena turns to Smith, talking about James, while Rose and Kevin share a private glance.

“You knew, didn’t you? About me and Smith?

“When we met the first time and he described the Red head that caught his eyes in New York I suspected but it wasn’t about that. He was just the right match for us.” Kevin responded.

”Right match. Convenient.” Rose said bitterly.

“Rose, I had no idea this would happen. I promise.” Kevin says softly when he noticed her countenance change .

“ It’s like some twisted high school reunion.”Rose responds half-laughing, half-sighing.

James laughs loudly at something Elena says, breaking the tension.

“ He’s a good kid. He deserves to know all the people who care about him.”

“ Yeah… he does.” Rose says.

She stares at him and immediately realized how messy this situation would be. James's happiness was what mattered most so she talked with Smith and they both decided to drop their egos and have a good dinner but she couldn't wait to tell Katherine all about it.

The end up ordering and having dinner despite the awkwardness and had a good time discussing with James and getting to know more about him. He was a junior and doing very well in his studies. He was also a basketballer and loved humanitarian service. They did real good raising such an amazing young man,Rose thought.

Elena immediately chips in after dinner “How about dessert? I hear the pie here is amazing.”

Smith responds “That sounds good. Rose?”

Rose nodded more at ease “Sure. Let’s try the pie.”

As Elena waves down the waiter , Smith catches Kevin eye on his wife.

“Maybe fate isn’t so twisted after all.” Kevin says to Rose smiling.

”Maybe not.” Rose said Smiling faintly

Smith clenched his fists out of jealousy. He wasn’t overthinking their chemistry. He just hoped his mistake and dishonesty with his wife would not lead to the worst thing he’d ever done to their marriage.