Chapter 114 - Welcoming Party
"Take," Debby said with a smile as she gave Rose a plate with a slice of chocolate cake in it.
"Thanks," Rose appreciated as she reached for the fork.
"I don't think it is right for you to eat cake," Eric said unhappy that Debby interrupted their conversation.
"Don't try playing doctor," Debby said shaking her head. "Rose, I kept wondering while you were gone of who you might have offended that led to your disappearance," Debby said.
"Oh . . . I . . .," Rose began a little confused about what to say about that.
"When I saw the press conference your father did, I began scolding myself for having such thoughts," Debby narrated with a guilty expression on her face. "I thought you offended someone while in the orphanage."
"How much do you think Rose will offend anyone to the point of stabbing her in the restroom?" Eric asked shaking his head.
"Don't try making me feel anymore guilty than I am already, okay? I said it was just a thought," Debby warned Eric with a playful glare.
"I understand," Rose said glaring at Eric to stop teasing Debby.
"You just glared at me," Eric mumbled unsure of what he just saw. Rose seemed to a lot more jovial than she used to be. "You are slightly different," he said in a low voice.
"You are the different person here. You always stick to Rose and hardly talk to me then why are you teasing me," Debby asked hitting her fist lightly on his arm.
"No, I am serious. Did she also get a personality transplant?" Eric wondered shaking his head confused. There was definitely something different about Rose.
"How does that make any sense?" Debby asked smiling but her smile slowly faded away when she looked at Eric's serious expression. "Are you serious? I am out of here," she said shaking her head as she thought of what made Eric think a personality transplant was something that made sense.
Rose shook her head at the two people who seemed to have different understand of what Eric meant by 'personality transplant'. The fact that she had a new secret was no sitting well with her.
That was not because she was scared that she might expose it mistakenly after all she had a bigger secret she was hiding effortlessly. It was because she was upset.
She was scared that she made the wrong decision but considering the pros and cons, she made the right decision by agreeing to marry him. He gave her a reasonable reason to make her Queen and that made her feel at ease about taking the help he was willing to offer her and use his power and wealth to her advantage.
Shouldn't she feel happy about it? After she have always wanted that. Mr. Hart couldn't give her a believable reason why he wanted to help her then but his son did a good job.
"Hello, could I talk to you for a second?" Noah asked with a beautiful smile.
Sensing no malice from her, Rose agreed, "sure."
They left the living room to the hall way. "Are you okay now?" Noah asked scanning Rose from her head with the beautiful combination of brown and Amber down to her foot.
"I am fine," Rose answered although she knew Noah did not bring her here just to ask that. "You can go on."
"Oh sure," Noah who was absentminded as she counted different things about Rose's appearance that made her get chosen by Liam. "I told Mr. Hale about Anna's boyfriend . . . No ex-boyfriend. Why did they break up?" Noah did not wait for Rose to answer as she continued, "I also told him all I took note of."
Rose found herself in a very confused state. She had no idea what Noah was talking about and she really did not expect Noah to talk about so crazy things she had no understanding of.
"Oh, right. It wasn't Mr. Hale I spoke to but one of his subordinates, the guy with the brown hair from the fashion show," Noah continued. She felt it was right to let Rose know she spoke to someone about her.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Rose replied sincerely. She could remember the "What about Anna's ex-boyfriend?"
"He scares you, doesn't he? He also does not seem to like you. I told the man that and I also told him that Anna's ex smiled at you before you went to the restroom," Noah narrated.
"Why will you do that?"
"Because I wanted to help your family find you. From the moment I saw you, I thought you were really interesting. I always try to find something interesting about everything I see and every person I meet. I know you are the princess based on my observation and I know that you are Liam's girlfriend," Noah whispered.
"Girlfriend?" Rose asked.
"Yes girlfriend. Among most of the things I find interesting about people is the love they have for each other and the chemistry. I noticed the chemistry between you and Mr. Hale during the fashion show but I could not confirm it. I guess I am not that good after all but when I saw the text he sent to you I knew he was the one and you were happy."
"What are you getting at?" Rose asked looking around.
"Don't worry no one is close enough to hear us. I don't want anything from you. You must have a reason why you hid your true identity from your foster family so I won't be going around telling everyone. When I was young, I always admired the Queen and when everyone did she betrayed the kingdom, I did not believe. So, I guess I am on your side," Noah explained.
"I am not the princess," Rose denied outrightly. She knew nothing about Noah and could not trust her at all.
"No need to deny it. I might not have anything to prove my words but I know you are aware of what I am talking about and I won't ask you to confirm it with your mouth. You were always different and seem to have elegance imbedded into your every word and action. You are really a princess," Noah said leaning closer to Rose to whisper the last sentence.
Rose froze where she stood with the wall only a few inches away from her back. She had no idea of how to behave. How did this girl that have spent less than forty-eight hours with her know so much? "I really don't understand you. I really wish I was a princess. The fact that I look and act like one does not make me one,"Rose spoke calmly maintaining an obligatory smile.
"Of course it does," Noah replied unwilling to back off.
"I will leave now," Rose told her maintaining her calm expression as she turned to leave.
"I told you all that so we could be friends," Noah stopped her by gently gripping her elbow.
"Really?" Rose asked boredly. What she wanted most at that moment was too return to the living room. "I am really surprised Noah. Thanks for saying that but I . . ." Rose sighed frustratedly.
"You don't have to agree immediately. You can just tell me when you are ready if you want to be my friend or not," Noah interrupted. With a gentle pat on Rose's shoulder she turned to go but stopped. "I have a lot of other things to say. If you ever want to hear them, you can find me."
Rose exhaled when Noah finally left. She had no idea what to do. Noah was not threatening her in anyway and even seemed to mean no harm but she could not believe that Noah only found out because of her observation skills.
She could not understand what Noah said about Anna's ex-boyfriend. The man scared her but what then made her tell Liam's subordinate. She also did not feel pleased that Liam's subordinate had a conversation with one of her friends and he kept it away from her.
She returned to the living room and stared for less than half an hour before returning upstairs to her room. She had no idea that her foster father did a press conference concerning her disappearance and she wanted to know what he said that changed Debby's thoughts.
When the video of the recorded press conference began playing, Rose opened her mouth astonished. Her foster father warned his enemies to stay away from his daughters and attack him instead.
She smiled and shook her head. What gave him the idea that enemies listen to what their enemies have to say. And it was a really good diversion away from the fact that she got hurt because of her identity.
Now everyone will think the people that disliked Justin and wanted to punish him always attacked his daughters making them victims. It was a really nice set up but what made him lie? That, she could not understand or did someone lie to him? That kind of made more sense.
In that case, who lied to him because Anna told her earlier that her father wanted to bury her. What changed the indifferent foster father into and overprotective father who was willing to give himself in exchange for his foster daughters' well-being.