"I am so excited!", Rose squeaked.

"So am I", Alex said with the same energy as his twin sister.

"But haven't you met her already?", Monika asked Alex with raised eyebrows.

"So?", he raised his eyebrows too.

Monika mentally face-palmed. She shook her head and said, "nothing".

"Ughh, for the hundredth time, IT'S NO BIG DEAL", Dean exasperated.

Rose made an equally annoyed expression and said, "I'm meeting your fiancée, Veronica, for the first time. Obviously I'm excited".

It was true, after that day hanging out with Dean's friends, when Rose found out that he was engaged, she had wanted to meet his fiancée.

But for some reason, Dean had pushed it further and further to the point Rose was frustrated and got upset with him.

And here they are, waiting for his fiancée. After all, Dean West may be one of the most heartless people ever, but only to the world. Not to his family.

Monika had been excited too because she had never seen Dean willingly introducing his sister who was Dean's fiancée, to anyone before.

She had been with the band, practicing for their first ever Grammy performance. But after the practice she had straight away come to The West residence (thanks to Liam who gave her lift because he was coming the same way) because of 2 reasons.

1, it would take ages to go back home, pick up Veronika and get back here because Dean's house was closer.

2, the front right tire of her car tore, which means if she wanted to go home, she had to ask Nate for a lift. Liam or Tyler would've dropped her off too but it would make it too obvious that there was some tension going on between Nate and her. She didn't want anyone to worry. Of course there was tension. A LOT more than just 'tension'.

"I'll be right back", Dean told them.

"Where are you going?", Rose asked with raised eyebrows.

"I need to use the restroom", he told her and went away before anyone could say anything else.

"Do you think she will like me?", Rose asked Monika.

"Of course, how can she not like a sweet girl like you", Monika smiled at Rose.

"I guess so…", Rose said. She was still nervous.

There was a beep and Rose a saw car being pulled over in the parking lot.

A girl and a guy came out. The guy looked young with messy brown hair and dark shades.

The girl, she had beautiful hazel brown hair with dark brown eyes. She wore a purple loose dress that really bought out the color of her fair skin. She was beautiful. She looked alot like Monika.

"Rose, that's Veronica. Veronica, that's Rose", Monika introduced.

Wow. Veronica looked nothing like Rose had imagined her to be.

Dean was the sort of guy who dated dolled up girls, models, actress, etc. That's what Chris and The Twins had told Rose. But she didn't look anything like that. Instead, Veronica had soft features and she genuinely looked kind.

"Hey sweetie", Veronica smiled at Rose.

"Hie!", Rose giggled. She tried hard not to look like an idiot but she was so happy for her brother. Veronica seemed really nice.

****

Veronica and Rose had been talking non stop. Rose was really glad that Veronica was nice. After all, she was her brother's fiancée. She wanted to have good relations with her.

And turns out, the guy was Veronica and Monica's little brother Kapil. He was as old as Chris and the twins.

"Where's Dean?", Kapil asked. It's been almost 2 hours since they arrived and Dean was no where to be seen.

"Oh, you guys wait here. I'll go and see", Rose told them and they all nodded.

****

Rose had checked everywhere in first wing but, she couldn't find Dean anywhere.

"Maybe I should check Second Wing. It's near to the first one. Maybe Dean has some business stuff to deal with and so he went to his office", Rose said to herself and went to look for Dean in the second wing.

****

Dean wasn't in his office either.

"Ughhh", Rose held her head in her hands. She was mad at him.

"What happened mam?", someone asked.

She looked up and saw Riley's bodyguard.

"I was looking for Dean. It's kind of important. I don't know where he is", she told him.

"He is with sir Riley, in his office", he told her simply.

"Oh! Thank you so much!", she told him and went towards Riley's office.

Dean better have an explanation for disappearing like this, she thought.

The door was already a bit opened. Just when she was about to enter, she heard someone say, "Dean, I am sorry. I can't do anything about this."

It was Riley. Huh.

Rose stuck her ear to the door and listened.

Why do I always end up eavesdropping other people's conversations, she thought and mentally sighed.

"But why!? Are u really happy with ruining my life? Huh!? Rose was so fucking excited meeting 'my fiancée'. She doesn't even know I am not gonna marry her", he said angrily. There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

"That wouldn't happen because YOU WILL MARRY HER", Riley said.

"I don't care how much you and Elijah force me. I WON'T MARRY HER", Dean shot back.

Rose heard Riley sigh. He said, "we don't have a choice okay? Do you really think me and Elijah like forcing you? For something that is supposed to be 100% your decision? Yes, this is the most personal decision of your life but we don't have a choice Dean. Can you please try to understand? It was YOUR dad's word to his bestfriend, that YOU will marry HIS DAUGHTER. To get our families connected. There's nothing that can be done anymore", he finished.

Dean raised up his hands in a exasperated gesture, Rose saw, from the little space where the door was opened.

"But I don't love her", Dean whispered.

"I'm sorry", Riley said.

"Sorry is not gonna fix it Riley. Would you have liked it if you were forced to marry someone you don't even know and leave the person you love the most behind?", Dean asked him.

Riley's expression changed. There was visible pain in his eyes. He felt bad for his little brother. "Do you love someone?", he asked Dean.

"That doesn't matter now, does it?", Dean said with humorless chuckle that made Rose's heart fill with so much pain. Pain for her brother.

This wasn't right.

Dean was being forced to marry Veronica . . .

****