Chapter 4 I Will Marry Him #2
“And call my secretary. Tell him to inform Ivan's family that their business and personal relationship with us is over. We will not give them any business in the future. Cancel all our business dealings with them immediately.”
He paused, his jaw tightening.
“And tell them that Ivan and Rose will have no relationship with each other going forward. Everything is finished.”
“Yes, sir.”
Troy nodded again.
The old man had seen firsthand how much Oswald cared about Rose.
He had never allowed anyone to harm her if he could prevent it.
She had been pampered from a young age, especially after losing her mother, and Oswald had always treated her as though she were something precious that he needed to protect.
It had always been the two of them against the world.
Yet Rose had never taken advantage of her father's love.
Despite being pampered, she had never become arrogant or selfish.
She had always been cheerful, caring, and deeply devoted to the people she loved.
She had never allowed her father's wealth or influence to give her an ego when it came to her relationships with others.
And now, hearing that someone like Ivan had struck his daughter was enough to make Oswald decide that the relationship was beyond repair.
Troy turned and hurried away. He disappeared down the hallway, already reaching for his phone as he prepared to make the necessary calls.
A moment later, the main door opened.
Oswald looked up.
Maverick walked through the entrance carrying Rose in his arms.
Rose was still wrapped in the coat Maverick had placed around her shoulders, the heavy fabric completely enveloping her as he carried her inside.
Oswald stared at him.
A confused expression slowly appeared on his face.
His gaze moved from Maverick to Rose and then back to Maverick again.
“What is he doing here?” he muttered.
Maverick Bishop was a man who had always kept his personal life carefully hidden from the public eye. As far as Oswald knew, he was simply the older brother of Rose’s best friend.
But Oswald also knew exactly what kind of man Maverick was.
He was one of the most ruthless men in the business world—a man people feared yet desperately wanted to have a relationship with because the advantages of being connected to someone like him could be enough to turn a lifetime of hard work into a fortune.
The Bishop Empire was enormous, and Oswald’s perfume company was one of several smaller businesses that regularly maintained close dealings with Maverick’s empire.
Yet despite their business connection, Oswald had never personally interacted with Maverick beyond the occasional business meeting or formal event. They had crossed paths several times, but they had never had a real conversation.
Until now.
Seeing Maverick walk into his house with Rose in his arms was enough to make Oswald’s expression change completely.
His gaze followed Maverick as he crossed the room and carefully lowered Rose onto the couch. He made sure she was settled before straightening, while Rose remained wrapped tightly in the oversized coat he had placed around her shoulders.
The warmth of the coat had finally stopped her trembling.
Oswald’s eyes dropped to the coat before moving back to Rose. Then they returned to Maverick.
Maverick stood calmly in front of him, completely unaffected by the tension in the room.
Oswald’s expression hardened.
“Mr. Bishop,” he said, his voice controlled but wary. “What are you doing here?”
Maverick straightened to his full height.
For several seconds, neither man spoke.
Two of the most intimidating men in their respective worlds stood face-to-face, neither willing to look away first. Their expressions carried a similar coldness, but there was something different about Maverick.
The younger man possessed a darkness in his presence that seemed almost impossible to penetrate, an aura of quiet danger that even Oswald couldn't ignore.
Finally, Maverick broke the silence.
“Mr. Monroe.”
His voice was calm, almost unnervingly so.
His gaze remained fixed on Oswald.
“I’m the man in that photograph with Rose.”
Rose immediately straightened, her entire body going rigid as she realized that Maverick had received the same photograph her father had.
Worse, he had openly admitted that he was the man in it!
Her mouth fell open as she looked between the two men standing before her.
Her heart began pounding harder when she saw Oswald's expression change little by little, the confusion and coldness on his face slowly giving way to a look of sudden realization—one that seemed almost impossible for him to comprehend.
For several moments, Oswald said nothing. A deathly silence settled over the room as he stared at Maverick.
“I see.”
Rose swallowed, her heart hammering as she waited anxiously for her father's reaction.
Oswald finally looked away from Maverick.
“Let's talk in private.”
Maverick gave a slight nod and followed him toward the study.
Rose immediately rose to her feet and hurried after them, desperate to find out what they were going to discuss. But the two men disappeared into the study before she could catch up.
She returned to the living room and stared at the study, confusion written all over her face.
“What the hell is going on?” she muttered under her breath.
She waited.
Ten minutes passed.
Then another five.
Still, there was no sign of either man.
Rose began pacing restlessly across the living room, glancing toward the study every few seconds. The longer they stayed inside, the more suspicious she became.
“Did they murder each other?” she whispered to herself.
Finally, unable to take the suspense any longer, she headed toward the study. She slowed as she approached the door and carefully leaned closer, intending to sneak a look inside.
Before she could, the door suddenly swung open.
Rose jumped back.
Oswald and Maverick stepped out together.
Neither man looked remotely shaken. They simply walked back toward the living room as though they had just finished discussing an ordinary business matter.
Rose followed them, her confusion only deepening.
She stopped in front of them and looked from her father to Maverick, waiting for someone to explain what had just happened.
Oswald finally turned toward her.
“Marry Maverick.”
He gestured toward the man beside him, his tone so calm and casual that it sounded as though he were asking her to pick up something from the store.
Rose stared at him.
Her mouth fell open.
“What?”
“You can go and marry him,” Oswald continued. “The courthouse should still be open. You can get it done today.”
Rose could only stare at him in shock.
“Why? What is going on?” she whispered.
But the stern expression on her father's face silenced her before he could even answer.
Panic began creeping through every inch of her body.
‘He wants me to marry Maverick?’
Of all the men in the world, he wanted her to marry Maverick Bishop—one of the most ruthless and intimidating men she had ever heard of.
‘How could he ask me to marry him?’
It felt as though her own father had just thrown her straight into the den of a wolf.
Even people within Maverick's own family were said to be wary of him, and yet Oswald was standing there calmly telling her to marry him as though it were the simplest decision in the world.
Her heart pounded violently against her ribs as fear climbed into her chest.
Rose looked at her father, still unable to believe what she was hearing.
“Dad, why do you want me to marry him?” Rose asked, her voice rising with panic. “I told you it was just a one-night mistake. It’s not going to happen again.”
She tried to step closer to her father, hoping to reason with him, but Oswald gave her a stern, cold look that immediately stopped her in her tracks.
“Are you going to create more problems for me?” he asked sharply. “You’ve already caused more trouble than necessary, and you’re still going to argue with me. What’s the problem with marrying him?”
He pointed toward Maverick.
Rose's eyes instinctively shifted toward him.
The moment their gazes met, the look in Maverick's eyes made her body go rigid. She immediately took a small step backward and let out an awkward laugh before turning her head away.
Her gaze dropped to her feet.
‘What is wrong with him?’
Her father was asking her to marry him. He was practically walking her toward a blade and then asking why she was afraid to put her hand on it.
Rose lifted her head again, ready to refuse the marriage.
But the moment she looked at Maverick, she caught the expression on his face.
It was enough to make her fear for her life.
She swallowed hard.
“All right,” she finally said. “Then I’ll marry him, Dad.”