Beauty and the Beast

The Zane family

"Enough!" Damien said and picked up Rose as soon as she was done getting treated.

"Damien what are you doing. Let Rose go. She needs some time alone right now." Harry was the first to speak looking at Damien's barbaric actions.

"To do what? Wallow in in self-pity and self-loath." Damien scoffed. "The woman I know and love doesn't know the meaning of of self-pity. I'm not letting her turn into one right now. She is a fighter and I'm not letting her become a coward now."

"I don't have the strength anymore." Rose whispered dejectedly. There was not a sign of the strong woman she was and it killed Damien to see her like that. "I can't fight anymore. I'm tired. I'm so tired. I can't do it anymore. I give up"

By now Damien already brought Rose out in the garden and made sit on the bench as he kneeled in front of her. No. He wouldn't let this defeated woman replace the love of his life. His Rose was fighter and she will fight till the end. He looked intensely into her eyes as he uttered. "Rose Brown doesn't know the meaning of giving up. She is a fighter who will never give up even until her last breath."

Damien said familiar words. These were the words that Rose ones said to him as her heart and soul was filled with fighting spirit. She wanted to fight for her future. Fight to make a place for herself. And she wouldn't stop until she had what she wanted.

Being reminded of her determination made Rose feel irritated. "Fight back how. By forgiving and forgetting? Sorry Mr Damien, that isn't in my blood. Browns aren't saints that let by gones be by gones. If we were, our family wouldn't be in this situation. Each one of are ruthless that can go to length for revenge. We make sure to get justice for the smallest grievances and those dead people dared to humiliate us to the extreme. They dared to touch my sister. If I don't end them, if don't give them the worst pain possible to man, I won't even be able to breathe properly let alone live."

Damien chuckled at her words. "I know love. Isn't that one of the reason I love you so much too? My girlfriend doesn't know the meaning of forgiveness. But she also doesn't know the meaning of giving up. Especially before she fought."

"Fight back how exactly? I don't even know who those people are. All I know is their name that they flaunted so well. The Zane family. The only thing I know is that they are from Africa. I don't have a single clue about it. The whole Brown family's influence was not able to get through it. What am I supposed to do?" Rose asked irritated.

"As far as I know, my lovely girlfriend is a very recluse person and the number of people she could truly call friend could be counted on one hand. But the ones she has are all trustworthy as useful. And as far as I know, there is someone who has some dealings with Africa." Damien hinted.

Rose at first looked at him in confusion. Maybe because she was still reeling with her emotions, it took her a second to realize what he was saying. Then shock was visible in her eyes as she realised what he meant.

"Get me my phone." Rose said hurriedly. "Hurry." She added.

The rest of the family did not understand what was going on. But seeing that there was finally an expression on her blank face they simply did what she asked.

As soon as she got the phone, she opened it with face lock. Her hands were bandaged so she simply used her voice command to make a call from her phone.

"Call Icequeen." She commanded. The call went through.

"Hello." A cold, emotionless female voice sounded from the other side. It was almost as if a robot was talking with no emotions whatsoever.

"Mercy." Rose called.

"Hey Beauty. To what do I owe the pleasure of you calling me personally?" The cold voice immediately turned into a warm one. It was like another person was speaking altogether.

"I need a favour." Rose said straight to the point.

"Favour? You need a favour." Mercy's voice turned amused this time. "Sounds interesting. Please continue."

"I want you to search someone for ne from Africa." She said.

"Africa?" Mercy sounded amused. Finding someone from Africa was quiet easy for her. Though she lived Europe, Africa still held a special place for her. After all that was the place she was supposed to spend her remaining life last time. She definitely knew more than others. Especially if these people were from south africa. "Who is it?"

"The Zane family" Rose said the words with intense hatred.

"There are many Zane family in Africa. You have to be a bit more specific." Mercy replied.

"Someone who cold avoid Brown family's influence and stay hidden from us for more than a decade. I hope that narrows it down." Rose said.

"Avoid Brown family's detection?" Mery asked growing more and more interested in this topic.

The second Rose said the word favour, her interest was already peaked. Rose Brown was a person just like her. They hated owing to others. Though they were friends, Rose always tried to keep profit away from their relationship.

And now she was asking for a favour. It must be huge. And she was proven right. The second Zane family left Rose's lips, Mercy was dieing out of curiosity it. But reined it in. If Rose wanted to discuss about it, she would. If she didn't, she must have her own reasons.

But how are they connected. The Brown and Zane family seemed worlds apart. How can they have a relation? Mercy couldn't help but wonder.

"Mercy?" Rose called again hearing no reply from the other side for quite some time. "Can you help me find out about them as soon as possible?" She asked.

"No need. To be able avoid Brown family's detection, narrows it down quiet a lot and I just happen to know one such Zane family." Mercy replied. "However, I can't help but wonder how the both of you are connected."

"I would appreciate if you do not ask questions about it." Rose said, not answering her curiosity.

"Very well then. So here it goes..." Mercy began telling everyone about the Zane family.