Chapter 92 Don’t you worry about their relationship?
The office fell silent, and Roger's hands on Delanie's shoulders dropped. She had mentioned it before, but he took it with a pinch of salt, and now she was showing that she meant every word she said by then.
"Lani, put yourself together. Karen is my wife, and I love her. I would never divorce her," he said seriously, staring into Delanie's eyes, a sigh of relief escaping Karen.
Roger's bond with Delanie was strong, and knowing they weren't related, anything could happen, but she was also beginning to understand that Roger could not be played because of the love he had for Delanie.
His stand was clear, and that was the fact that nothing romantic could exist between him and Delanie, though she wasn’t taking it well.
"Fine, then, don't ever talk to me again," Delanie said seriously, bitterness blazing through her. She was about to leave when Roger pulled her back.
Staring pleadingly at Karen, he asked her, "do you mind?" Karen shook her head and excused them, dragging Oriana along.
At the reception, Oriana called her mother on the phone as the guilt overshadowed her.
Octavia answered the phone on the first ring, as she was expecting to hear about her daughter's first day at work.
"Oriana, is everything okay? Have you started work?" Excitement laced her voice, but Oriana was saddened. "Mom, why didn't you tell me about your bratty past?"
The direct question caused Octavia to freeze at the end of the line, guessing that things hadn't gone well for someone among the Dawsons to tell Octavia about her terrible past.
Her obsession with Giovanni was something she couldn't tell her husband, though she had gotten over it.
"Because I'm not proud of it," Octavia said seriously, as she began to narrate her part of the story.
"I loved Giovanni, but the only person he ever loved was Molly and Roger by then. Hank wanted to marry me, but I thought he was an assassin and refused," she revealed, Octavia was even more saddened.
Marrying Hank would have kept them close to the Dawsons, and she would have grown up harnessing some of Roger’s love, just like Delanie, but her mother ruined everything.
Roger was right in everything he said earlier, and now that he was alone with Delanie, she couldn’t imagine what was going on between them.
“Before I came to my senses, he already proposed to Nora,” Octavia continued to speak from the end of the line.
“I was abused by the man I fell in love with and was almost killed. Hank and Vanni came to my aid, so is this what you wanted to hear? Or that Vanni took care of me my whole life? Taking Karen in was nothing compared to all he did for me because he owed me nothing.”
Oriana was numb, wishing she had known all this before being as insolent as she was to Roger.
“Mom, if you had told me this, I would not have felt entitled to Roger’s success.”
“You never told me you felt that way,” Octavia replied. “I think that maybe you should come home,” she softly suggested.
She could only blame herself for feeling ashamed to tell her children everything and hoping that Joe would not turn out this way.
“Yeah, I’ll come home now,” Oriana was saying, ashamed to face Roger again when Karen’s voice interrupted,
“You can go home and give up on everything you dream of achieving, or you can swallow your pride, be humble, and learn more.”
Oriana did not agree with what Karen said, reminding her,
“I sewed the dress you wore to Roger’s birthday, so why should I start from scratch?” She asked in annoyance. Karen sighed. “I loved that dress, but Roger pointed out a few things I agree with,” she mentioned.
Oriana frowned imperceptibly as Karen continued, “he said red wasn’t suitable for me and the dress spoke volumes about sex rather than elegance.”
Oriana paused, her mind opening up to Karen’s words with Roger’s perspective in mind. “I never saw it that way. I was just designing a sexy dress.”
Karen agreed. “Now you understand the reason why there is more to designing than mere sentiments.”
Oriana sighed and spoke on the phone. “Mom, I think I’ll stay.”
“What about Roger? Isn’t he upset?” Octavia asked worriedly, but for some reason, Oriana was ready to humble herself and learn now.
“He is, but Karen isn’t, and I think she can handle it.”
“Alright, Oriana, be good and don’t cause any more trouble,” Octavia said in a slightly warning tone. Oriana nodded, replying from her side of the line, “Yes, mom.”
Oriana merely ended the call when she saw Delanie running out of Roger’s office with Roger chasing after her. He paused when he saw Karen. “Can you handle everything? I’ll be right back.”
“Take all the time you need,” Karen nodded. Roger kissed her briefly on the lips before going after Delanie.
Oriana stared the way they went, and something did not sit well with her. “Do you not worry about their relationship?”