23

During her break, she walked into Peniel's office, without hesitation he asked her in.

They hadn't seen each other for days now, he had sent her countless texts and voicemails.

He had so many questions going through his mind, and he couldn't wait to hear from her.

She sat down in his office chair as he rose from his desk and approached her. She anticipated a barrage of angry questions, like why she hadn't been at work for days or why she hadn't been responding to his calls. But instead, his voice was gentle and reassuring.

"Are you okay?, Where have you been?, and why the fuck did you choose to make me worried" Peniel said.

Rose who was astonished by how he reacted stood up and gave him a hug.

"I'm sorry, it all happened at once. I am so sorry Peniel" Rose cried.

After some minutes of emotional outpoured, Rose explained what happened to Peniel.

If it wasn't Rose that told him, he wouldn't had believed what she said because everyone viewed Andre as a man who didn't have any interest in forming relationships with women. Four years ago, the media made unsubstantiated claims that Andre's sexuality was different from what he had presented, based on the fact that he didn't have any female employees at his mansion. This created a negative impression of Andre that was not based on facts.

Peniel ordered food for himself and Rose afterwards she went back to her office. After a long day, Andre came out of his office, Rose stood up cleared her table and walked out of the building.

As Andre and Rose walked out of the building, they saw Peter standing a little bit away from them. Peter walked up to Andre and started a conversation with him. After their conversation ended, Andre started to head to the car park with Rose following close behind. They both got into the car and began the drive back to the mansion.

As they drove through the streets, the city lights glimmered against the dark night sky. Andre's thoughts drifted to the conversation he had just had with Peter. He was still unsure how to feel about it.

After a long and eventful first day of work, Rose was filled with a sense of satisfaction and contentment. Having opened up to Peniel about some of her deepest thoughts and feelings, she felt a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. As she fell onto her bed with a thud, she couldn't help but bounce up and down with excitement, reveling in the moment.

Rose felt lighter than she ever had after a day of work. For the first time, she felt free from the usual stress and tension. She knew it was because she had opened up to Peniel. She felt hopeful for the future, knowing she no longer had to carry her burdens alone.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, savoring the feeling of release.

After taking a relaxing bath, Rose made her way downstairs for dinner. She noticed that Andre was already seated at the dining table. The smell of delicious food filled the air, and she felt her stomach grumble in anticipation.

Andre sat at the dining table with a strange stillness. He seemed lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the empty space in front of him. He was too consumed by whatever was on his mind.

The quiet air was almost deafening. As Rose took her seat at the table, she cleared her throat softly. Still, Andre did not react.

Rose looked at Andre wondering what was going through his mind. The air was thick with tension, and she could feel her anxiety rising. She had only been working for him for a short time, but it felt like an eternity. He was always so demanding and cold. Now, his distant silence was even more unsettling than his usual demeanor.

"Do you need something, Mr Andre?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

There was a long pause before he finally spoke.

"Do I need something?" Andre said, his voice sharp and sarcastic. "I need you to mind your business, that's what I need. I don't need you bothering me with your insane questions."

Rose felt a stab of hurt at his words. She knew he could be difficult to work for, but she hadn't expected him to be so cruel. She tried to keep her composure, but it was hard to hide her disappointment.

"I'm sorry if I bothered you, Mr Andre," she said quietly.

As she began to eat, her food felt like lead in her mouth. No matter how much she tried to push his words out of her mind, they kept coming back to haunt her. She knew she shouldn't take them to heart, but it was hard not to feel hurt by his cruel words.

She wished she had a home she could run to but she knew she had to stay strong. She was determined to get through this contract and move on with her life. But in that moment, it felt like a very long road ahead.

Andre looked up and saw the sadness on Rose's face. She was picking at her food, not eating as heartily as she normally did.

He knew he had been a bit harsh, but he wasn't sure if he felt bad about it. Still, an apology might smooth things over.

"I'm sorry if I came off as too harsh," he said to Rose.

"I didn't mean to upset you." He continued.

Rose's eyes widened in surprise. She had never heard him apologize before, and she wasn't sure what to say, her facial expression was unreadable.

Andre felt like he should say something, but he couldn't think of anything to say. So he just sat there, staring at her food.

Andre cleared his throat.

"So, how's work going?" he asked, trying to make small talk.

Rose was glad that Andre had apologized for his harsh words, but she wasn't entirely ready to forgive and forget. She was proud of her ability to stand up for herself, and she wasn't about to let anyone, even her boss, treat her with disrespect.

Before Andre apologized she had already decided that she would maintain a professional demeanor around him from now on, only engaging in necessary conversation and no more. She knew she doesn't have a home to return to, but she wasn't going to let him walk all over her. She was a strong and independent woman who knew her worth.