The CEO's Rose

Gwendolyn’s POV

Gwendolyn Stuart the fourth was not one to stress herself unnecessarily. Stress led to wrinkles after all.

But, given her current situation she allowed herself to worry just the right amount. And the right amount was a lot.

Things were bad.

After Bryce had texted, saying that an opening had just come, that he’d finally have a chance to kill Vivian Rose. Gwendolyn had celebrated, thinking that she’d finally be rid of that little witch. But something had gone seriously wrong. Instead of her receiving a call from Bryce, informing her that the job was done. When he had finally called her, he had been silent on the other side. And she’d known instantly that something was wrong.

Her instincts had been for her to just start running as far as she could, abandoning him wherever he had fallen. But logic had taken over and she had realized that she could not do that. She needed to know whether or not Vivian Rose was alive.

Her next move depended on that.

If the woman was dead, then Gwendolyn could easily leave the country, dragging Bryce’s battered form along as a form of entertainment. She would keep him by her side for however long he kept her entertained. Using the fact that he was a murderer to keep him in line.

But if it turned out that Vivian Rose was still alive, then that changed things significantly.

***

Vivian Rose surviving would mean that she had come at the king and had missed. Her intent was to crush Ryan once and for all. To leave him unable to think past his grief. That would be her ultimate punishment to him for daring to move on with somebody subpar. But if Vivian was alive, then Gwendolyn would be in a whole lot of trouble. Ryan would be more vicious when coming after her this time.

He had already gotten her disowned. Something that would have destroyed her, had she not had the trust fund that her mother had set up for her. She just could not live in poverty.

Is the witch dead or is she alive? That was the question that Gwendolyn needed answered.

Unfortunately for her, the person who could give her an answer was currently unconscious. Not only that, the news channels were being suspiciously silent on the matter.

A billionaire’s girlfriend being attacked should have been headline news, yet no one was saying anything.

How was she supposed to plan if she did not know what the facts were?

***

The doctor that she had called to come and take a look at Bryce was not somebody that would ever be welcome in a legitimate practice. Gwendolyn was certain that had she not been looking, the shifty-eyed woman would have stolen a few of Bryce’s organs and made away with them. But as untrustworthy as she was, the woman was good at her job. Bryce would live. His broken ribs had been attended to, his jaw had been popped back in place. He was no longer in danger of choking on his own teeth and blood, and she had stitched up as many of the lacerations on Bryce’s head as possible. All of the work done with Bryce going in and out of consciousness, no pain meds whatsoever.

Gwendolyn had told him it was because it was too risky to put him under. But in reality she had instructed the doctor not to give him anything because she had known that any meds would impede her ability to question him.

Now with the doctor in the other room and Bryce looking somewhat human,( and also very swollen, ugly, and in dire need of a dentist)it was time to question him. Hopefully he would give her the answers that she really wanted.

***

"What do you mean ’pretty much’, Bryce? Is she dead or did she survive?" Bryce made a move that looked as though it might have been a shrug, but he abandoned it halfway, hissing in pain.

"Like I said, Ryan walked in before I could properly make sure, after that I was too busy fighting for my life," The new gaps in his mouth, plus his swollen lips meant that it took a while for him to get each word out. Being that her future depended on it, Gwendolyn forced herself to listen patiently, her hands itching to just grab him and shake him.

With one eye swollen shut and the other one only open a sliver. It was very tempting for her to just reach over and punch the barely open one until it closed up as well. But Gwendolyn forced herself to rein in her temper. She still needed the man, it would not do to lose a useful pawn like him.

As ugly as he was now, she still had a use for him.

A second after she decided not to attack him, her phone buzzed with a notification and Gwendolyn picked it up. It was one of the news channels that she was following.

[Billionaire’s girlfriend found murdered]. The headline read and Gwendolyn felt like she could breathe again.

Thank goodness.

Reaching for Bryce’s battered hand, she patted him lightly.

"Congratulations, you did it. Vivian Rose is dead," Bryce tried to laugh, but the sound ended in a pained groan as he clutched at his ribs. Having no such restrictions, Gwendolyn giggled freely.

When another notification came in, she opened it without hesitation. Thinking that it would be another reputable news broadcast talking about Vivian Rose’s death. But instead, she was greeted with two pictures. One of Bryce and the other of herself. She looked gorgeous in it, but the headline was not a good looking one at all.

[Suspects wanted in relation to the Vivian Rose case].

What in the world?!

Gwendolyn was so shocked that she dropped her phone.

What was this? What sort of sick game was Ryan playing? The whole reason that Gwendolyn had been keeping up with Bryce had been to ensure that such a thing never happened. When Vivian came up dead, it was all supposed to fall on Bryce. Gwendolyn’s name was not supposed to show up anywhere.

How dare Ryan put her picture out there, and there was no doubt in Gwendolyn’s mind that it had been him who had ordered for the release of such a damaging article. From his spot on the bed, Bryce groaned, clearly curious to know what was wrong. Taking a breath, Gwendolyn picked up her phone and read the article to him. Instead of panicking, which was the correct response, the man made a low humming sound.

"Well, it looks like we are really in this together. You and me, huh?" He said flippantly, and Gwendolyn wanted to scream.

’There is no you and me!’ She wanted to hiss, But she did not say that, she just stayed quiet. Her gaze fixed on Bryce. He was now a broken toy that she no longer had any use for. There was only one question that she had to answer. Just how was she going to get rid of him?