The Rose of De Haas

Chapter 30: Ballad of the Flower

The soft groove of dance music played by a pianist in the middle of the dance room made the guests who attended the party increasingly enjoy every dance movement they played with their respective partners.

There are also those who do not have a busy partner to entertain themselves by drinking wine while watching the couples who are dancing to the rhythm.

In the corner of the magnificent hall, there appeared a handsome young man with a glass of red wine in his hand, enjoying half-heartedly the scene before him.

The young man looked very striking with the formal black clothes he was wearing, so contrasted with the color of his skin that was almost as white as cotton.

"It's a pity that I haven't been able to get a partner like them yet" lamented William van de Beek, a young businessman who hosted the grand party tonight.

The handsome face and the economy that is well established at a young age does not guarantee William, or who is familiarly called Wim it is easy to get a partner.

Even until now, Wim has never once dated a girl.

Adonis Verhoeven, Wim's best friend and personal assistant, laughed at Wim's words filled with despair.

The wavy blonde man smiled wryly at Wim and then said.

"You are so bad at love" Adonis ridiculed with a laugh.

Wim smiled wryly, gulping down his glass of wine until he remembered something.

"Ah, do you remember Mrs De Haas?" wim asked Adonis to try to change the topic of the annoying conversation.

"That beautiful native lady? Why why?" now Adonis became curious why Wim even asked the woman who was clearly married.

"Yes, that Madame De Haas. He once said he wanted to introduce his son to me I became curious as to what his son looked like," Wim said as he sat himself down, still watching the couples who were busy dancing.

Adonis nodded in understanding, he also remembered about the conversation that had happened the other day. Personally, he also admired the beauty of Madam De Haas even though he was a native, plus the ability to do business the Madam who did not playfully made Adonis amazed in his heart.

"I heard that her son was still in school, but had an extraordinary talent in the field of architectural design. Even the design of the De Haas family's sugar factory was designed by their daughter" Adonis said, recalling all the information he had on the De Haas family's daughter.

Wim rested his dark brown hair with fingers, letting some of his strands fall on his smooth forehead until his good looks became clear.

A pair of sharp grey highlighted beads of hers looked at all corners of the party hall, observing all of her guests in the hope that she could find De Haas' partner yet nil.

The De Haas couple did not come to the party apparently, making Wim sigh a little disappointed.

Though now he was very curious about the daughter of the De Haas family, which surely the girl could have been many times more beautiful than her mother.

Wim rubbed his pointy chin using his index finger, growing curious.

"Smart drawing huh? hmm, very interesting.then gather as much information as possible about the girl."

"Why should I do it?" adonis asked confusedly.

"Because you're my aide and best friend, aren't you? Just do my orders, I have to get a lot of information about the girl just to meet her directly," Wim concluded firmly with a sharp gaze, making Adonis can only nod in agreement.

...****************...

"Roses?" call Mr. De Haas that morning when the girl was busy helping Aunt Inem set the dinner table for breakfast.

"Come, sit down by Papa. There are things that we must talk about," the Papa said making the Rose wonder but he remained obedient.

"What's that about, Papa?"

"You will soon be graduating from school, so Mama and Papa have prepared things to guarantee your future" said Mr. De Haas with his trademark serious facial water, making Roses began to be able to guess where this conversation went.

"Because you haven't been able to return to the Netherlands to continue your education after school, so Papa decided to choose another path for you" he added, trying to draw the core of the conversation as best he could.

The rose rolled her eyeballs lazily, then let out a long sigh.

"So the point is Papa wants to match me with a man that Papa has chosen? Why not just say it?" Rose asked with a wry smile, not excited to hear the words of his Father who seemed to beat around the bush.

Marriage because arranged marriage between Dutch families with other Dutch families is already a very common thing, Rose himself is not surprised to hear this from his own Papa.

Roses had expected sooner or later this would happen, especially the De Haas family did have a very successful business and certainly needed a partner that was commensurate with the path of arranged marriage like this.

Mr. De Haas could only sigh, he knew it would be difficult to talk about this with a Rose.

In fact, Madam De Haas has nothing to give up when asked to discuss this with the Rose directly so inevitably Mr. De Haas must say it.

"Papa and Mama just want you to be happy in the future, son," replied Mr. De Haas making Rose laugh sarcastically.

"Why can't I marry the person I love like Papa and Mama did?" rose boldly asked that question, he knew both his parents were indeed in love with each other.

"I would be so unhappy if I had to spend the rest of my life with a man I don't love at all, Papa. I beg you not to be selfish like that" said Rose with eyes that had begun to tear.

Although Rose believes the relationship and Cecilion will not be sanctioned by her Papa, what would you say? Roses already love Cecilion and vice versa.

It would be very difficult for them to forget each other if those already strong feelings were forcibly separated.

Releasing the Cecilion he loved so much and then married a foreign man would of course be very painful, imagine the Rose could not let alone have to live it.

"But Papa had a good reason, Roses. Please listen to Papa first," Mr. De Haas tried again to persuade the Roses to continue their conversation calmly.

The rose shook her head strongly. "can't, Papa. I won't want to marry the chosen man of Papa no matter what the reason."

Without waiting for a response from Mr. De Haas, the Rose then rose from his seat and inched away to his room.

Mr. De Haas let out a long sigh, he had expected the Rose to respond like that.

But what can be done, he did not have much choice but to continue to carry out his plan of marrying the Rose with the man he had chosen after the Rose graduated from school.

In any case, the De Haas family-owned sugar company that has already grown up needs a competent heir in order to continue operating in the future.

Mr. De Haas looked softly at the door of the Rose room as the girl slammed the door.

"You should have listened to Papa's reasons, my dear Rose...."