Chapter 55 - Yours, Daddy.

ROSALINE

The day had been quite good so far. Russo had had the chef come over and I had had a great meal, though I definitely preferred Russo's cooking to that of the chef.

And then after having breakfast, I had taken another walk around the mansion to see it better and fuck, was it huge. I was going to walk around the island itself but I didn't want to get missing and well, my legs weren't particularly in the best state to have me walking around the entire day.

I wasn't lying when I said my legs could use the rest. Then I had taken a swim in the pool, taken a few pictures, taken a nap, ate some desserts prepared by the chef and then sat in my bed, wondering about Russo.

I had tons of things to wonder about, of course. One of which is my attraction towards him. I had really felt powerless when he wanted us to be over but it had also brought me to the reality that this, whatever we were doing was just for a little period of time.

Russo might never want to get married but I did want to get married in the future and since I could not marry Russo surely, I would have to go for another man.

What other man would be able to make me feel comfortable like Russo did? Russo had discovered me, reading me like an open book but for another man, I would probably have to tell him about all the sexual excitement I wanted and I just couldn't see myself talking about sexual stuffs with anyone other than Russo.

But apart from this entirely, the identity of the woman at the charity event still held me in a mystery. I wanted to know who she was. If I had asked for her name that night, it might have been easy to find out who she was.

I sighed softly. I didn't understand why Russo was hiding that away from me and anytime that woman popped up in my head, I couldn't help but remember the strange messages I had been getting.

I was really starting to want to know more about Russo, more than he was letting me know.

I was knocked out of my thoughts by the ringing of my phone and I grabbed it quickly, thinking it was Russo calling but it wasn't. The caller was Rick.

I pressed my lips into a thin line and sighed. I had been clearly avoiding his calls and texts these past few days but I knew that he would be worried about not seeing me at work and knowing Rick, he would definitely have gone to my home too.

I just didn't want the awkwardness between us but I guess being silent and ignoring him wasn't a great way to do this either.

The call ended before I could pick it and I dialed his phone back.

He picked up at the very first ring.

"Rosa" he called my name and I couldn't resist a smile.

I had kinda missed hearing his voice.

"Rick"

"Heavens know this is unfair to me, Rosa. You have any idea how much your absence disturbed me? I... It's fine if you don't want to date me at the moment but please don't ruin our friendship, Rosa. It's been years" I could hear the stress in his voice.

"I am sorry" I mumbled.

"It's fine, it's fine. I just... I hope we are good now? I hope we can hang out like we used to and all? Tim and Melinda missed you badly too. The group just isn't complete without you."

"Really?" I laughed softly, letting myself ease into the friendly atmosphere.

Friends were good. Really good.

"Really. Everyone missed you, I especially did miss you so when do you want to hang out?"

"Uhm... Maybe next week? I am a little bit busy at the moment" I replied.

"Next week? On your birthday?" He asked and I pressed my lips into a thin line making the smile vanish momentarily before I replied him.

"After my birthday. Perhaps a day or two after " I replied truthfully and the other line went silent for a few seconds.

"Rick?" I called and heard him sigh.

"I am here but what is wrong? You have never celebrated a birthday without us these past few years? Why would you be celebrating it alone this year? Is this still because of my confession to you..."

"No, not at all" I cut him off.

"It really isn't about it but I have a place to be at that day" I mumbled.

"It will be your birthday, Rosaline. Surely you don't plan on working on your birthday?"

"Work? Of course not. I just have something I might be a little busy with" I replied, my head building up quick imagination of what my birthday would look like with Russo.

"Rosaline, are you dating someone?" Rick shot the question.

"No, I am not" I denied quickly.

Well, it was the truth. I wasn't dating Russo. There was no way I could... Even if I ever wanted to.

"Why would you ask that?"

"Because you are acting like you have someone important in your life. Someone much more important than we your friends."

"That's not it, Rick. Trust me, I will make time for us and we can celebrate my birthday when I am back. It won't be too late celebrating it a day or two after" I assured him.

"Well, I guess so. I miss you, Rosaline."

"I do miss you too" I smiled.

"What about your uncle?" He suddenly asked and my brows arched.

"What about him?"

"Oh, I was just asking about him randomly. I wish he didn't dislike me so much. It would have been a great honour to know him better. I mean he is so wealthy and all but he doesn't have a heir at the moment, who is going to inherit all his money at the end? Or does he have a girlfriend?"

"Uhm, I don't know really. He has never introduced any woman to me as his girlfriend and I don't think he ever wants to have children." I replied.

"Wow, such a man of steel he is. That's really cool but I think he definitely would have a woman he loves and is hiding her from the public. He would definitely have someone he loves but powerful and wealthy men like Russo El Massimo would most likely choose to have their women's identity kept a secret before their wedding."

I blinked and gripped the sheets of my bed as I listened to Rick's words.

"Uhm, Rick. Let's chat later, shall we?"

"Oh sure, later then. Will be waiting for your call."

The call ended and I dropped my phone by my side before pulling my knees close to me. Rick's words kind of made sense. Russo was a great man. Even if he didn't want women, women would throw themselves onto him.

All his life, it would be impossible that Russo had never fallen in love with one of these numerous women. And there were chances that he could still be in love with whoever he had fallen in love with.

What if he indeed had some woman somewhere and was just hiding her? What if he was cheating on his woman with me? And what if he was lying to me about never wanting to get married and he would actually be getting married as soon as he leaves me?

"No, no, no." I shook my head.

Russo couldn't possibly do that. He wouldn't have another woman somewhere. Russo didn't seem like the type of person who would love a woman and then keep that woman away from himself for so long. He didn't come across like that kind of person and I had never seen anything that would hint towards a woman being in his life. For as much as I knew, there was no clue of a woman... But exactly how much did I know about Russo? Did I even know anything about him?

No, I didn't. I knew nothing about Russo or the secrets he was most probably keeping.