The Royal Contract

Her father might not have acknowledged him as a Rosley, but they shared the same blood, making them family. Marcus would always be her brother, no matter what her father said.

Unfortunately, just like Alex and Dani, she did not get a chance to see Jacky, but at least she consoled her brother, even if it was just a brief moment. She promised to visit again once Jacky was up for company.

“Join me.” He called her over to him as she entered his office, letting her sit on his lap behind his desk. “Move my next appointment.” He quickly informed his secretary and asked not to be disturbed as she closed his door.

He was not expecting she would drop by, but he knew he could not turn her away. She looked upset, but he had no idea why. He remembered when he left her apartment that morning, Haley was still peacefully sleeping.

A terrible thing must have happened after he had left to cause her distress. The look on her face told him it might be a delicate matter. He could tell that she had been crying.

“I am sorry for dropping by your office unannounced. I know you are busy.” Haley slightly hesitated, leaning still in his arms. “But I just don’t know where to go.” She continued, looking quite distraught.

.....

She knew she could not go to her father. Although his father loved her, he did not share her opinion that Marcus was family. Of course, he would not care if he just lost a grandson.

She knew she also could not go to Dani because, at the moment, she was avoiding her because of Gerald. She still could not fathom why Dani asked her to stay away from him when she would not give her enough reason.

Therefore, she had no other recourse but to go crying on her boyfriend’s shoulder about the unfortunate accident that her family was going through. She recounted to him what happened, releasing all her pent-up emotions while in his arms.

“I am sure Jacky would recover from this.” Gerald pulled her to his side, comforting her as he listened to her story. “I heard she is a very strong-willed woman.”

He guessed it was part of his obligation as her boyfriend to do such mundane tasks as sitting by her side during times of her distress. It was not something he would willingly do since he had never been in a relationship before, real or pretend.

Nonetheless, it seemed he had no choice but to act as the doting boyfriend. Bizarrely, it was not that bad. He was doing well for someone who never allowed anyone to get close to him.

At the same time, he genuinely felt concerned about her wellbeing. As if he had this urge to protect her and make her smile. He had never felt like this with anyone before, not even to Dani.

“I hope my brother too. He could act tough, but he is just a big softie.” Haley confided with him, feeling more comfortable around him.

The more she spent time with him, the more she fell deeper into the relationship. It was like she was drowning, unable to breathe when they were apart. He had become her lifeline.

She knew it seemed too fast, the way her relationship with him was moving. They were only going out for a few months, but she had no more doubts he was the one for her. She could not live without him.

She believed she had found her soulmate.

He was it.

“I am sure that he would be just fine.” Gerald pulled her closer to him as they sat on his chair. “Remember that everything happens for a reason. Eventually, your brother and his wife would come out of this much better and wiser.”

He was not great at family counseling. But that was what he usually told his clients. He had no idea if it worked, but he believed it served its purpose.

However, he knew how to deal with difficult situations. He might not have had a great childhood background, but his training included manipulating people to follow and get what he wanted.

Nevertheless, his mind was swirling at the implication of this recent event. He never considered tragedies as a loss but something to gain. If taken positively, he believed it could open doors for an opportunity.

But it would be something to explore later.

At the moment, he had to focus on his girlfriend and attend to her needs. He might not be great in words when it came to tragedies, but he had his ways of handling such a situation.

“Haley, look at me.” He placed his palms on the sides of her cheeks and forced her to look deeply into his eyes. “It is terrible what happened, but you need to show Marcus and Jacky that it is not the end of the world.”

“I know you are right. It just breaks my heart to see Marcus and Jacky experiencing such pain.” She could not understand why she was deeply affected by the tragedy. It was as if she was the one who had lost a child.

Maybe it was because she had seen so much pain and hardship with the foundations she had aided. She could easily empathize with their pain. But she doubted that she had been through such a tragic situation.

She would admit to living a well-sheltered life. Her father had assured her protection from all the people who would want to harm her. She understood his overprotectiveness, being his only daughter.

Although it could be suffocating, his father’s meddling had saved her from countless possible dangers. That included the many suitors who tried to win her heart, only to find out they were only after her money.

But Gerald was different. Even her father seemed to warm up to him, judging from the other night. She believed she had found the only man that did not like to take advantage of her, a decent and honest man.