Chapter 4 The Invatation
1639 Words
Rosa was practically buzzing with impatience as the auction dragged on.
Without a moment to spare, she sprinted to the neighboring box, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a steadying breath, plastered on her brightest smile, and knocked on the opulent mahogany door.
"Hello, I'm..." Rosa started, but the door swung open silently, revealing a waiter in a tuxedo.
Unfazed, Rosa continued, "I'm Rosa Everly from the adjacent box. I happen to share a surname with the estate you just acquired."
The waiter gave a courteous bow. "Ms. Everly, I'm sorry, but the occupant has already left."
"Oh?" Rosa's smile wavered for a heartbeat before it snapped back into place. She leaned into the box, hoping for a glimpse of any useful details.
With practiced ease, she removed her Bulgari bracelet and subtly extended it towards the waiter. "My AC is acting up in my box. Any chance we could switch to this one?"
“Sorry.” the attendant said. “I’m here to pass on a message from the owner of this private room. He added the final auction item at the last minute.”
Rosa’s eyes brightened, and she turned around, giving the waiter a warm smile. “Thank you!” she replied sincerely.
While Rosa was busy talking with the attendant, the owner of room nine had already left the auction house.
In the back seat of his car, Julian Madox held his phone at arm’s length, clearly annoyed by the shouting coming from the other end.
“Julian Madox! If I don’t see you tonight, don’t bother coming back any more!” The furious voice of an older man rang out before abruptly hanging up.
“Turn around,” Julian instructed the driver as he ended the call. His gaze was sharp and intense.
After a moment, he leaned back and let out a slow breath. “I forgive you.”
If it hadn’t been for his father’s call, he would have been in that room, reconnecting with her.
He would’ve brought up that night and playfully teased her about the mix-up.
But Rosa Everly—why did you have to be Elijah’s ex-wife?
With the complicated relationships between the Madox, Sterling, and Everly families, everything he was planning for this reunion could easily turn into a weapon against them in the future.
Back in her private room, Rosa was lost in thought with the new clue she’d just received. Before she could process it all, her phone rang—it was her mother.
“Rosa, the Madoxs are hosting a banquet this weekend, and Julian will be there,” her mother’s voice was so gentle. “Even though we’re not in-laws with the Madoxs anymore since your divorce, it’s still important to show up out of respect.”
“Sure, Mom, I’ll go,” Rosa replied absentmindedly, still thinking about the auction. Then her mother’s emphasis on the name caught her attention. “Wait, Julian?”
“He’s your Grandpa Thomas’ youngest son. You should call him Uncle Julian,” her mother said with a hint of a smile in her voice. “He’s been abroad for years, and now that he’s finally back home, Thomas is thrilled. He sent invitations to everyone in Phenara City.”
Her mother continued, “You know, Grandpa Thomas was so good to you all these years isn’t just because you were married into the family.”
Rosa understood that. Her relationship with Thomas Madox—and even with the Madox family—was something she had built herself.
When she was 17, she’d snuck out with friends and stopped to help someone whose car had broken down.
She found the driver unconscious and rushed him to the hospital. It was only when a crowd gathered at the hospital that she realized the man she’d saved was the head of the Madox family, one of the most influential families in Phenara City.
Thomas was incredibly grateful, and years later, when Rosa’s father passed away and her relatives from the Everly side tried to take their assets, it was Thomas who stepped in, protecting their wealth with a trust fund and keeping the vultures at bay.
“Don’t forget what I said,” her mother reminded her again.
Rosa was about to brush it off when the auctioneer’s voice caught her attention.
“And now, for our final auction item—a private collection from one of our distinguished guests.”
Rosa quickly hung up the phone, straightening up in her seat.
But was this person for real?
Though the little rabbit was crafted from high-quality rosewood, the craftsmanship left much to be desired.
It was a wooden rabbit sculpture that looked like something a child could have carved, yet the starting bid was set at a staggering one million dollars.
The crowd murmured in confusion, unsure of the auction house's intentions.
However, Rosa stayed sharp.
She recognized that the rabbit was a clue from the occupant of Box 9 and couldn't afford to let anyone else snap it up.
But, she didn't make a move, wary of provoking Elijah and a few other bored individuals who might create unnecessary trouble for her.
As the seconds ticked by with no bids, she raised her paddle just as the auctioneer was about to declare it unsold.
"One million," Rosa declared firmly.
"Sold!" The gavel came down decisively.
The rabbit was quickly delivered to Rosa, who examined it closely.
There was something oddly familiar about it, but she pushed that thought aside.
Instead, her attention was drawn to the accompanying note: Bach Hotel, Room 3303.
Rosa's heart skipped a beat. That room was where she had spent that unforgettable night with the imposing man she could never forget.
Rosa's mind was in overdrive.
She thought, 'Could the man in Box 9 be the same one I've crossed paths with before? He seems to know all about the Everly Estate and the Sterling family's scheming. Why would he help me? If he has two billion, why was he masquerading as a waiter in Neon Mirage? And if he is so keen to continue our connection, why didn't he come face to face with me when we were just a room apart?'
She rubbed her temples, trying to piece it all together.
Rosa's thoughts churned as she pondered the situation. 'Is the owner of Room 9 trying to use the night to blackmail me? But why would he? I'm divorced, not involved in any scandalous affair. My reputation and my company are intact. Does he have another reason to keep me away? Was there something more between us?'
Her mind was a jumble of confusion.
Then, Rosa called out to her assistant, handing over the rabbit and the note, "Sebastian, I need you to dig into this trinket and find out who stayed in that hotel room. Also, keep an eye on my relatives! The Everly Estate isn't up for grabs."
Meanwhile, in the parking lot, a sleek black sedan smoothly cruised past Rosa's red sports car.
In the backseat, a man held his phone at arm's length, grimacing at the booming voice on the other end.
"You ungrateful brat! Get your ass back here! You've been back for days and haven't even seen your old man!"
In stark contrast, Rosa's mother, Alice Everly, spoke with soothing warmth, "The Madox family is throwing a banquet this weekend. Julian will be there, too. Even though you're no longer tied to them after your divorce from Elijah, it's still important to show up."
Rosa replied absentmindedly, her thoughts still tangled in the auction, "Sure, Mom. I'll be there." Then, she registered her mother's emphasis. "Julian?"
Alice said with a chuckle, "That's right, Thomas' favorite youngest son. He's been overseas for years, but now he's finally back for good. Thomas is ecstatic, throwing a big party and inviting everyone in Phenara City. You know, Rosa, Thomas' kindness to you all these years isn't just because you were married to his adopted daughter's son."
Rosa knew her favorable standing with Thomas and the Madox family was entirely her own doing.
At seventeen, she'd snuck out to meet friends and stumbled upon a broken-down car.
When she stopped to help, she found the driver unconscious.
Without a second thought, she rushed him to the hospital, her heart racing. It wasn't until later, amidst a whirlwind of well-wishers, that she realized she had saved none other than Thomas Madox, the patriarch of Phenara City's oldest and most prestigious family.
Thomas never forgot her act of heroism. When Rosa's father passed away and unscrupulous relatives tried to plunder the Everly family's fortune, Thomas stepped in. He ensured the assets were placed in a trust fund, protecting them from greedy hands.
"Remember that, dear," Alice said gently.
"Don't worry, Mom. Love you."
On the other side, however, the atmosphere was far less warm.
"If I don't see you tonight, don't even think about coming back!" The old man's voice crackled through the phone before he slammed it down.
"Turn around," the man in the backseat said coldly to his driver, closing the call screen.
The driver responded with a curt nod, "Yes, sir."
As they drove beneath a streetlamp, the driver's face was briefly illuminated.
Had Rosa been there, she would have recognized him as the waiter from Box 9.
The driver ventured, "Mr. Madox, I'm sorry, but I told Ms. Everly that you added the final auction item."
The man's eyes narrowed, his gaze intense.
After a protracted silence, he reclined, shut his eyes, and let out a deep breath. "I forgive you."
Every step he'd taken to arrange this reunion might potentially be used against them in the future.
He realized his folly - he shouldn't have pursued a deeper connection with Rosa beyond their familial ties.
- Writer
