Chapter 15 You Will Beg
Ivan went completely still.
Rose didn’t look away.
“You and I have nothing to do with each other anymore, and I don’t want anything to do with you. Stop ruining my life and get out.”
She pointed firmly toward the door.
“This is my house. Leave.”
She had never spoken to Ivan like that before.
Never raised her voice at him. Never looked at him with such absolute finality. Never made it so clear that there was no place for him in her life anymore.
And somehow, that only seemed to push him further over the edge.
Ivan’s jaw tightened as his gaze slowly shifted from Rose to the man standing beside her.
Until now, he had barely paid attention to Maverick.
Now he looked at him properly.
His eyes traveled upward, taking in his imposing height and broad shoulders before settling on the cold expression carved across his face. There was something about the man’s presence that made Ivan instinctively tense.
Then recognition flickered across his features.
Maverick Bishop.
The owner of Imperium Fragrances—one of the most powerful groups in the country.
The man people whispered about behind closed doors.
The man they called a demon. A monster. An angry beast.
The man rumored to have turned against his own family and dealt ruthlessly with anyone foolish enough to cross him.
Ivan let out a disbelieving scoff. A mocking smile slowly spread across his face as he looked at Rose.
“You married him?” he said incredulously. “The man everyone calls a monster? A devil? A demon?”
A bitter laugh escaped him.
“He destroyed his own family and ruthlessly took everything from them. And now you’ve married him? That heartless bastard? Everyone knows how evil he is.”
Maverick’s expression hardened.
Before Ivan could say another word, Maverick stepped forward, seized him by the collar, and hauled him toward the front door.
“Let go—”
Maverick didn't even slow down.
He dragged Ivan outside and shoved him down the front steps. Ivan stumbled, his arms flying out as he desperately tried to regain his balance, but his foot slipped off the edge of a step.
He went tumbling down the remaining stairs before landing hard at the bottom.
Maverick remained at the top, looking down at him without the slightest flicker of emotion.
“Get lost.”
Ivan pushed himself to his feet, his face burning with humiliation.
His anger was rising, but beneath it lurked something far more unsettling.
Fear.
For the first time, the reality of losing Rose was finally sinking in.
He had spent so long convincing himself that she would come back. That she was only angry. That whatever she was doing with another man was simply an attempt to make him jealous.
But she had married someone else.
She had chosen another man.
And she had looked at Ivan as though he no longer mattered.
His heart pounded painfully against his ribs.
Then his gaze shifted.
Rose had stepped outside and was standing beside Maverick. Without hesitation, she slipped her hand into Maverick’s.
Ivan’s eyes immediately dropped to her wrists.
Bruises.
His expression changed.
For a brief second, his anger faltered as he stared at the dark marks circling her wrists. Then his jaw clenched.
‘That bastard abused her?’
The thought sent another surge of fury through him.
He took a step forward, but Rose immediately moved closer to Maverick, instinctively placing herself at his side.
“Let’s go inside,” she said quietly, giving Maverick’s arm a gentle tug. “There’s no reason to argue with him.”
Maverick kept his eyes fixed on Ivan for another long second. His jaw tightened, but he eventually allowed Rose to lead him back toward the house.
Ivan remained at the bottom of the steps, breathing heavily as he watched her disappear inside.
“You want to stay married to your domestic abuser husband?” he muttered under his breath, his voice low and bitter.
“I’ll see how long it takes before you come running back to me after he does the same thing to you that he did to his family.
That demon is going to torture you until you break.
And then, you’ll come begging me to take you back. ”
***
Oracle Fragrances had changed considerably over the past few days since Maverick had taken control of the company. The interiors had been upgraded, the operations had been reorganized, and everyone had been busy adjusting to the new changes.
Rose, however, was surprised by how smoothly everything had gone.
She had been handling the new project, and having Maverick there to help had made things far easier than she had expected. He had taken care of so many details behind the scenes that she sometimes wondered how she would have managed without him.
That afternoon, she quietly knocked on the door of his office before pushing it open without waiting for an answer. A coffee cup was clasped in her hand as she stepped inside.
Maverick was seated behind his desk, his laptop open in front of him. A frown creased his forehead as he studied a stack of files and fragrance designs, his attention completely absorbed in his work.
The moment he looked up and saw her, however, the frown disappeared.
His expression softened almost instantly.
Rose walked toward his desk and placed the coffee cup in front of him. Then she clasped her hands behind her back and stood there like a student waiting to ask her teacher for permission.
She was wearing a short skirt with a blouse and a fitted jacket, a simple office look that somehow made her look even cuter.
“Mr. Bishop,” she said sweetly, tilting her head slightly. “Can I go home early today?”
Maverick rose from his chair, his expression shifting from pleasant to suspicious.
“Why do you want to go home early, Mrs. Bishop?” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Your husband isn't home. What are you going to do there by yourself?”
Rose bit her lip.
“Nothing. I just want some personal time. It’s not like I need to have my husband around me every second of my existence.”
Maverick placed both hands on the desk and leaned forward slightly, his eyebrows lifting.
“Why does it bother you that your husband is always around?”
Rose stared at him for a second before letting out a long, frustrated breath.
“Why are you doing this to me?” she complained. “Don't tell me you're actually going to make me stay late.”
“Why do you want to leave early?”
“Why do I have to tell you?” she shot back. “It’s nothing. I just want to go home early.”
She folded her arms across her chest, her expression turning stubborn.
Maverick merely watched her.
“Are you really not going to let me leave early?” she asked.
He shook his head.
He didn't even bother giving her an explanation.
Rose's arms dropped to her sides.
“Come on,” she pleaded, stepping closer to his desk. “Don't do this to me. Please. It's only a few hours early. You can allow me that much, can't you?”
She leaned slightly toward him, giving him her most innocent expression.
“I've been working so hard. I'm not behind on anything. I've finished everything you gave me.” She paused, then smiled hopefully. “I've been a very good employee, Mr. Bishop. Consider it a little reward.”
“How can that be a reward if you were simply doing your job, Mrs. Bishop?”
Maverick raised an eyebrow, looking at her as if her argument made absolutely no sense.
Rose’s mouth fell open.
She stared at him in disbelief, unable to believe the way he had answered her. After a moment, she snapped her mouth shut and glared at him so fiercely that the corner of his mouth twitched.
He quickly hid his smile and settled back into his chair.
“If you want to leave early, you need to convince me,” he said calmly. “So go ahead. Show me how you're going to convince me.”
Rose stared at him, practically stunned by his audacity.
She took a long, frustrated breath before forcing a smile onto her face and smoothing out her expression.
“Don't do this. Come on. You have to understand that I just want a few hours to myself. Are you really not going to give me that?”
“I already told you. You have options.” His voice remained maddeningly calm. “Convince me, and you can leave.”
Rose clenched her teeth.
‘This demon is always so stubborn.’
No matter what she wanted, he somehow always managed to make her give in to him.
She glared at him, but it had absolutely no effect.
Finally, she marched around his desk.
Maverick barely had time to lift an eyebrow before Rose grabbed the back of his chair, turned it slightly, and settled herself onto his lap.
His hands immediately came to her waist, steadying her before she could lose her balance. His grip tightened as he pulled her closer, while Rose slipped her arms around him, one hand resting at the back of his head and the other gently caressing his cheek.
“Maverick,” she murmured sweetly, “I want to go home. I need to get some rest before we play in bed tonight. How are we supposed to enjoy ourselves if I'm exhausted and fall asleep before you even get home?”
His eyes shifted.
The darkening look in them told Rose she'd hit exactly the right spot.
She fought back a smile.
She was beginning to realize just how easy it was to get her stubborn husband to give in when she knew exactly how to tease him. And, perhaps more dangerously, she was starting to enjoy it.
Rose leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth.
“I’m just going to go home and rest,” she whispered, her fingers brushing gently over his cheek. “Then I need to get ready for bed. You remember that red lingerie you bought me last weekend? I think it’s about time I finally wore it for you.”
She paused, watching his reaction with a mischievous smile.
“And then I need to see if I can get on my knees while I’m wearing it.”
Maverick’s gaze immediately sharpened.
Rose smiled innocently, as though she hadn’t just said anything provocative.
“I really want us to have a nice time tonight,” she continued softly. “I don’t think my knees are going to cooperate if I don’t let them rest before all the exercises we have planned.”
That was enough.