Later that evening, the guests had finished eating, and the servants began clearing the tables. I stayed quiet, refilling glasses and picking up plates. But my ears were always alert. I heard everything.
Margaret, Matilda, Uncle Albert, and his wife sat together, their conversation stiff and tense.
"Albert, Dominic has agreed it's time he married," Margaret said, a hint of satisfaction slipping into her voice.
Beatrice leaned forward, her eyes brightening. "That's wonderful news, Mrs. Steele! He's such a remarkable man. So disciplined, so successful."
Matilda cut her off, her voice cool. "You mean so feared."
Beatrice faltered, then recovered. "Well… that too, perhaps. But respected."
Margaret's lips curved slightly. "Fear and respect often walk hand in hand, my dear."
Nathan shifted in his seat. "I've heard… things about him. People say Mr. Dominic doesn't like women."
Samantha let out a nervous laugh. "That's not just people, Nathan. That's everyone. They say he hates women. That he kills any woman who crosses his path."
Matilda raised her glass, eyes glinting. "He doesn't hate women. He simply doesn't trust them. There's a difference."
Beatrice laughed awkwardly. "Surely that's just gossip."
Margaret's tone sharpened. "No, my dear. Gossip is what people whisper behind closed doors. This is the truth. Dominic has seen enough betrayal to last a lifetime."
Silence fell like a heavy curtain.
Albert finally cleared his throat. "Still, Mrs. Steele… we would be honored to consider the proposal you mentioned."
Margaret nodded once. "Yes. My grandson needs a wife, someone proper, respectable, and from a family he can trust. Your daughter Samantha fits the description."
Samantha's eyes widened. "Wait what? You want me to marry him?"
Beatrice beamed. "Of course, sweetheart. What an honor."
"No." Samantha stood so fast her chair screeched. "No, no, no. You can't be serious!"
"Samantha," Albert warned. "Sit down."
"Thank you for your honest review of my daughter," Albert added quickly, trying to cover her outburst.
When the discussion ended, the Steele family left, followed by the other guests trying to speak with them.
Once the house emptied and the music faded, silence settled over everything. What had been loud with laughter now felt hollow.
I was gathering leftover glasses when I heard Uncle Albert's voice drifting from the study.
"Beatrice, this is a golden opportunity. The Steeles don't make proposals lightly."
Curiosity pricked my chest. I hesitated near the door, listening quietly.
Beatrice's voice followed, sharp and uneasy. "Are you saying they want Samantha to marry Dominic Steele?"
"Yes," Albert replied. "The proposal came from his grandmother. Were you not listening when she said it?"
"What?" Samantha's voice shot up, horrified. "Marry him? Are you serious, Father?"
"Lower your voice," Beatrice hissed. "Do you know what this means? A union with the Steele family could secure our business for generations."
"I don't care!" Samantha snapped. "I'm not marrying that man!"
Something thudded, probably her palms slamming the table. My heart thudded with it as I leaned closer.
"You will not speak to me like that," Albert said. "Dominic Steele is one of the most powerful businessmen in the country. When his father died, he rebuilt the company from nothing. He saved hundreds of jobs, brought in international partners."
"And destroyed anyone who stood in his way," Samantha shot back. "People say he's dangerous. That he doesn't like women. That he despises them. Do you want me to live with someone who has no heart?"
"Rumors," Beatrice scoffed. "Every great man has enemies."
"No!" Samantha shouted. "I won't do it! I won't marry a man who doesn't love me, someone who probably doesn't even know how to!"
The silence afterward was suffocating.
Then Beatrice's voice came again, low and cold. "If Samantha refuses… What about Rose?"
My breath caught.
"What about her?" Albert asked.
"Well," Beatrice said casually, as though discussing a grocery list, "Rose is of age. Eighteen, isn't she? If she marries Dominic, the deal stays in the family. It's the least she can do to repay us for raising her."
Samantha laughed sharply. "Perfect. Let the orphan marry the beast."
"Don't be ridiculous," Nathan muttered. "He wouldn't even look at her."
I didn't wait to hear more. My heart was beating too fast, too loud. I turned away, pressing my hands to my mouth to stop a cry.
They wanted me to marry Dominic Steele.
For business.
For convenience.
As payment for simply existing.
"Rose."
I nearly jumped out of my skin. Uncle Albert stood behind me. I hadn't even heard him approach.
"Uncle," I whispered, forcing my voice to steady. "I… I was just cleaning"
"Stop pretending," he said sharply. "You heard us, didn't you?"
I froze.
He sighed and removed his glasses, wiping them slowly. "Then I won't waste time. You will marry Dominic Steele."
"What?" My voice cracked. "Uncle, no. Please…"
"This is not a discussion," he snapped. "His family is powerful. Respected. You'll live a comfortable life."
My hands trembled. "I don't even know him. How can I marry someone I've never met? Someone everyone says is heartless who hates women who could kill me before anything even begins?"
"That's enough, Rose!" His voice thundered across the hall, making my legs shake. "You've lived under my roof for years. I fed you, clothed you, gave you shelter when you had no one. Now it's time to repay this family."
Tears blurred my vision. "I never asked for any of it," I whispered. "I never asked to be treated like a servant in my own home."
His jaw tightened. "Then you can leave."
I stared at him, stunned. "What?"
"If you won't marry Dominic Steele, pack your things and leave. This house has no space for ungrateful mouths."
"Uncle, please…" My voice broke, but he turned away.
"You have until morning," he said as he walked off, his footsteps echoing coldly.
I stood there long after he'd gone. Finally, I made my way upstairs. Samantha's laughter drifted from her room, and the smiling portraits on the walls watched me like strangers.
In my tiny, dim room, I closed the door and leaned against it. Moonlight spilled across the floor, soft and silver, catching the tears sliding down my cheeks.
I sank onto my bed, burying my face in my hands.
"Marry Dominic Steele…" I whispered into the darkness. "Or leave."
I was trapped.
I couldn't leave. I had nowhere to go.
But how could I marry a man who might see me as nothing more than a tool?
A man said to have no heart.
"Mum… Dad…" My voice broke as I looked up at the