Chapter 963: Mia Or Vanessa?
Shawn arrived at Henry's house early on Saturday morning, the sun barely peeking over the horizon as he parked his car in the long driveway.
He stepped out of the car with his briefcase in hand, adjusting his coat against the brisk morning air. As he walked toward the entrance, the familiar crunch of gravel under his shoes did little to soothe his growing impatience.
Today was the day he would dissolve everything. The staff, the household, all of it was no longer necessary.
Shawn rang the doorbell, and moments later, Margaret opened it, her face expressionless but her eyes betrayed her excitement. "Good morning, Mr. Rosewood," Margaret said, stepping aside to let him in.
Ever since the issue of Henry made the news, Margaret had been wanting to leave, and she would have left already had Shawn not called to instruct them that no one was to leave until he addressed them.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
"Morning, Margaret," Shawn replied, offering a tight nod before stepping into the foyer. "Please assemble everyone in the study. It's time we had a talk."
Margaret nodded and as she walked away to gather the rest of the household, Shawn made his way to the study.
Just as he settled down behind the desk, Margaret returned with Jeff and Mika, and the security personnels stationed at the gate also joined them. They filed into the room quietly, each person looking uneasy, aware that something was about to change.
Shawn waited until they were all settled before he cleared his throat. "First of all, I want to thank each of you for your service to my brother. You've been loyal, and I know it hasn't been easy, given the circumstances." His voice was firm, but there was a gentleness to it, a rare quality not often associated with the Rosewood name. "As you all know, Henry is no longer here, and won't be coming back anytime soon, so there's no need for anyone to remain in this house." He paused, watching their faces.
"I've already informed the agency that I'm letting you go. And they can reassign you," Shawn continued, "and I'm here to officially let you know that your services will no longer be required. Each of you will receive an envelope with a severance package. You have until the end of the week to gather your belongings and leave."
A murmur went through the room, but no one spoke up. Shawn opened his briefcase and placed the thick envelopes on the table for each of them, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry for whatever cruelty you might have witnessed during your time here," he said, his voice softening. "I'm sure Henry wasn't an easy man to serve."
Just as the last person picked up his envelope, Shawn's phone buzzed in his coat pocket. He fished it out, and saw it was the hospital when he glanced at the screen. His heart quickened as he swiped to answer.
"Mr. Rosewood?" Doctor Morgan's voice on the other end sounded grave. "I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news. Henry has just passed away."
Shawn's breath caught in his throat. "He's dead?" he blurted out, his voice louder than he intended. The room fell into an immediate hush as all eyes turned toward him.
"Yes, sir," the doctor confirmed. "We need you to come down to the hospital as soon as you can."
"I'll be there right away," Shawn said, barely managing to get the words out before ending the call. For a moment, he stood frozen, the reality of Henry's death sinking in.
Even though they had not been close and he had come to dislike Henry after hearing about all his wicked acts in the last couple of weeks, the news of his death still came as a shock to him.
They pulled apart and as they gazed at each other smiling, Mia took Jeff's hand. "Now that you're finally out of there, I can breathe freely. Thank you for standing by me, Jeff. Thank you for putting your life on hold for my sake. I can't tell you how much that means to me," Mia said as she took Jeff's hand.
Jeff shook his head, his voice gentle. "All that matters is that you're okay."
"It matters to me that you're okay too, and we came out of this unscathed," Mia said, since that had been her major worry.
"I've been meaning to ask, what should I call you now? Mia Or Vanessa?" He asked, and she
grinned.
"Which do you think I am?"
Their conversation was interrupted by the breaking story being delivered by the news anchor on the television in the corner of the room. Both their gazes turned to the screen when they
heard Henry's name.
"The prominent businessman, Henry Rosewood, has passed away this morning. Sources from the hospital confirm that the notorious CEO, who had been battling severe health issues, died just hours ago. The Rosewood family has yet to release an official statement." Mia's breath caught in her throat, her entire body freezing as the words sank in. Her heart raced, her mind spinning. "He's...he's really gone," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her knees wobbled, and she reached for the armrest to steady herself, but Jeff was there, holding her up, grounding her in the moment.
"I can't believe it," Mia said, her voice trembling. "He's finally gone." Jeff held her tighter, his voice steady. "Now everyone can finally have peace."
Mia leaned against him, the weight of Henry's death crashing over her in waves. She didn't
know whether to feel relief, sadness, or something in between. All she knew was that the man who had haunted her for so long was finally gone. Not just out of her life, but out of the world
for good.
Jeff embraced her and kissed her forehead, "Go in for your surgery," Jeff said gently. "I will be here when you're done."
Mia looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and affection. She kissed him softly, a silent promise passing between them, before she turned and walked away toward the
operating room.
As Jeff watched her go, his heart filled with love and hope. He waited until she disappeared from view before he took out his phone and dialed Barry's line.
Once Barry confirmed that Henry was indeed dead, Jeff let out a sigh of relief. Henry Rosewood was gone, and now Mia would heal properly and never have to fear anything again.