There was another knock on the door again. Rose thought maybe Vincent was at the door.
"Come in"
The door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman standing there.
"Good evening Young Madam Rose, I'm Mrs Sandra, the housekeeper" she said with a polite smile.
Rose remembered Vincent telling her earlier that the new housekeeper would arrive soon, but she didn't understand why she was being called Young Madam. She felt uncomfortable with it and frowned slightly, though she still forced a small smile.
"Your food is ready at the dining table" Mrs Sandra said.
Then she added, "But first, Mr Vincent told me to give you this ointment for your face"
She passed the ointment to Rose, who received it with a confused expression.
Rose was slightly surprised. She hadn't even thought much about her cheek, but Vincent had remembered it.
"I'll be down in a minute, thank you" Rose said.
Mrs Sandra nodded and left, but before she did, she studied Rose for a few seconds and smiled to herself.
When she had returned from her leave, she had met the Young Master in his study as usual. She was shocked when he told her there was a lady in the house and even more surprising, she would be living here. He had instructed her immediately to prepare food for her.
She was happy, because it was the first time she had seen him with a woman, or seen him being considerate toward anyone except his mother or grandmother.
***
When Rose got downstairs, she met Mrs Sandra standing beside a very large dining table. The table looked almost empty except for plates placed neatly at one section. Rose guessed that was where she was meant to sit.
As she sat down, she thanked Mrs Sandra for the food before beginning to eat.
Before she started properly, she looked around, confused.
"Is Mr Vincent not eating?" Rose asked.
Mrs Sandra's expression changed slightly, a sad look appearing on her face.
"The Young Master is always in his study room. He rarely sleeps or eats properly. He works too hard without thinking about his health"
Rose's expression turned serious and concerned. She didn't understand why someone would harm their health because of work. Suddenly, she felt a little pity for him.
Mrs Sandra noticed her reaction and continued, hoping her words would land.
"If only there was someone who could stop this… I'm really worried about him. He's like a son to me"
Then she added, almost as if remembering something,
"Oh, before I forget what Young Master Vincent told me…"
She turned back to Rose.
"After you're done eating, Mr Vincent wants to see you in his study room. I'll take you there"
"Thanks, Mrs Sandra, and please don't call me Young Madam. It feels weird and uncomfortable. My name is Rose. You can call me Miss Rose or just Rose. I'd really appreciate it"
"Miss Rose…" Mrs Sandra repeated softly, as if testing the name.
***
After Rose finished eating, Mrs Sandra led her to Vincent's study room. When they reached the door, she bowed slightly and left.
Rose knocked twice before a deep voice came from inside.
"Come in"
She slowly opened the door.
The room was dimly lit. On one side, Vincent sat in an office chair beside a large desk. He wore glasses that fitted his face perfectly, making him look even more attractive.
Rose couldn't help but stare for a moment longer than she intended.
Vincent was focused on the documents in front of him and didn't look up immediately as she entered.
Rose walked to the desk and sat on the chair opposite him. From there, she had a clear view of him.
His sleeves were rolled up, revealing strong arms with visible veins. Two buttons at the top of his shirt were undone, exposing part of his well-built chest.
As Rose continued staring freely, Vincent finally looked up.
He dropped the documents on the table and followed her line of sight. Realizing she was staring at his chest, he smirked slightly and began buttoning up his shirt again.
Rose snapped back to reality immediately and cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Checking me out?" Vincent's deep voice rang out as he finished buttoning the last button.