Forced Marriage To The Billionaire (Book 1)

Chapter 22: The dictum

Lorena found herself on her bedroom floor the following day, wrapped in a blanket. It took a few minutes before she could remember how she ended up there in the first place. She remembered leaving the bathroom and just wanting to sleep.

The bed had been uncomfortable, so she sat on the floor momentarily. She must have slept off after that. But the duvet? She didn't remember wrapping herself with that. A knock sounded on her door. She stretched and yawned lazily. Her tummy grumbled, but she felt more relaxed than she had been.

"Well, don't just stand there. Come in." She said, getting up.

The door pushed open, and Tanika came in, followed closely by Roselina. Lorena frowned when she saw the duo together. Tanika was way too sweet to be hanging out with Roselina. But then again, maybe Tanika did need a Rose to be more confident in herself.

"My lady." Roselina did a mocking bow with a smirk on her face. Tanika's eyes bulged, taken aback by her audacity.

"Good morning, my lady." Tanika bowed, trying to correct the errors of Roselina's ways.

"Don't do that. I've told you not to do that." Lorena chastised Tanika. She knew the girl was trying to show her respect, but she always felt weird when people bowed for her like she was some God. Roselina stopped to throw her an interesting I told you so look while going around Lorena's room.

"I'm sorry, my lady." Tanika moved to bow but quickly caught herself before she could. Lorena shook her head and sighed in defeat while Roselina chuckled.

"Wow, lady Lorena, why haven't you done anything with this space?" Roselina asked, staring at the blank walls. The room was bland and lacking the Lorena factor. She wondered if the rumors she overhead between the cleaners about how much the lord and lady detested each other were true. That would explain why the lady had not deemed it feet to decorate.

"Because I don't want to. Now will you stop chatting and help me sort out the mess on the floor? How did I even fall asleep on the floor?" It was a rhetorical question, but Roselina always had her answers ready.

"Well, after you took your bath, we returned to bring your food, but you were already asleep on the floor. I suggested we wake you up to eat, but this one here," She paused to point at Tanika before she continued. "With the backing of Francesca, of course, flat out refused. They said to let you sleep instead, so she covered you with the duvet." Roselina explained dramatically. Tanika glared at Roselina for making it seem like they didn't care about the lady when that was not true.

"We just didn't want to disturb you, my lady. You looked like you needed to rest." She explained softly. Just then, Lorena's stomach rumbled loudly.

"You see! I told you all we needed to feed her. Is this how you keep the lady hungry?" Roselina asked, pointing an accusatory finger at Tanika.

"Never!" Tanika replied, horrified at the accusations. Lorena looked from one girl to the other. The back and forth were making her dizzy. It was like the two voices in her head over again. Roselina being the wild one, and Tanika being the calmer voice.

"Stop it, both of you. Your concern touches me, but I think we have better things to do than stand here arguing all day. Now where is Francesca?"

"She's downstairs, setting the table for breakfast. We were asked to come to fetch you."

"Really?" Her brows raised. She had hoped the events before she slept off were all a dream. She didn't think she was ready to face her father or even Markris. "Who asked?"

"Your father did." Roselina blurted out. The weight of those simple three words had her whole head spinning. She didn't know what her father and Markris had discussed in her absence last night, but she guessed she was about to find out.