One Wild Night

Chapter 963: Mia Or Vanessa?

He stepped out of the car with his briefcase in hand, adjusting his coat against the brisk morning air. As he walked toward the entrance, the familiar crunch of gravel under his shoes did little to soothe his growing impatience.

Today was the day he would dissolve everything. The staff, the household, all of it was no longer necessary.

Shawn rang the doorbell, and moments later, Margaret opened it, her face expressionless but her eyes betrayed her excitement. "Good morning, Mr. Rosewood," Margaret said, stepping aside to let him in.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Ever since the issue of Henry made the news, Margaret had been wanting to leave, and she would have left already had Shawn not called to instruct them that no one was to leave until he addressed them.

"Morning, Margaret," Shawn replied, offering a tight nod before stepping into the foyer. "Please assemble everyone in the study. It's time we had a talk."

Margaret nodded and as she walked away to gather the rest of the household, Shawn made his way to the study.

Just as he settled down behind the desk, Margaret returned with Jeff and Mika, and the security personnels stationed at the gate also joined them. They filed into the room quietly, each person looking uneasy, aware that something was about to change.

Shawn waited until they were all settled before he cleared his throat. "First of all, I want to thank each of you for your service to my brother. You've been loyal, and I know it hasn't been easy, given the circumstances." His voice was firm, but there was a gentleness to it, a rare quality not often associated with the Rosewood name. "As you all know, Henry is no longer here, and won't be coming back anytime soon, so there's no need for anyone to remain in this house." He paused, watching their faces.

"I've already informed the agency that I'm letting you go. And they can reassign you," Shawn continued, "and I'm here to officially let you know that your services will no longer be required. Each of you will receive an envelope with a severance package. You have until the end of the week to gather your belongings and leave."

A murmur went through the room, but no one spoke up. Shawn opened his briefcase and placed the thick envelopes on the table for each of them, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry for whatever cruelty you might have witnessed during your time here," he said, his voice softening. "I'm sure Henry wasn't an easy man to serve."

Just as the last person picked up his envelope, Shawn's phone buzzed in his coat pocket. He fished it out, and saw it was the hospital when he glanced at the screen. His heart quickened as he swiped to answer.

"Mr. Rosewood?" Doctor Morgan's voice on the other end sounded grave. "I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news. Henry has just passed away."

Shawn's breath caught in his throat. "He's dead?" he blurted out, his voice louder than he intended. The room fell into an immediate hush as all eyes turned toward him.

"Yes, sir," the doctor confirmed. "We need you to come down to the hospital as soon as you can."

"I'll be there right away," Shawn said, barely managing to get the words out before ending the call. For a moment, he stood frozen, the reality of Henry's death sinking in.

Even though they had not been close and he had come to dislike Henry after hearing about all his wicked acts in the last couple of weeks, the news of his death still came as a shock to him.

He finally shook his head, looking at the assembled group. "Henry's gone," he said, almost to himself, as if repeating the words would make them more real. Then he straightened, his demeanor returning to that of the responsible elder brother. "I need to get to the hospital."

Jeff stepped forward, his face a mix of relief and uncertainty. "Thank you for everything, Mr. Rosewood," he said quietly. "I will be leaving right after you."

Shawn gave him a short nod, still processing the news. "Good. Take care. I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors." He said and then turned on his heel and hurried out.

Once Shawn was gone, Jeff stood in silence for a moment, staring at the envelope in his hand. His fingers clenched around it, but his mind was elsewhere, replaying Shawn's words. Henry's dead.

The thought hit him harder than expected, a mix of relief and unease swirling within him. The man who had terrorized so many people, who had haunted Mia's life, was finally gone. And yet, Jeff felt unsettled.

Was it really true? Jeff frowned, his mind racing. He needed to confirm it. He needed to be

sure.

He quickly went to his room and he pulled out his phone and dialed Tom's number. But something stopped him before he could hit "call." Apart from the fact that he needed to get away from the house first, it wasn't emergency worth disturbing Tom's sleep over.

He quickly looked around to make sure everything has been packed and he was not leaving anything behind. Once he was sure that everything had been packed, he left the room.

Moments later, he was in a cab, speeding away from Henry's estate, the weight on his shoulders slowly lifting with each passing mile. Only when the house was far behind him did he finally call Mia.

Mia answered almost immediately, her voice bright and full of life. "Hey, Jeff! I just got to the clinic," Mia said, since it was the day for her scar revision surgery.

Jeff leaned back in the cab, feeling a wave of relief wash over him at the sound of her voice. "Hey! Shawn just dismissed us and I've left the house," he said. "Send me the details of the hospital. I'll be on my way to the clinic now. I'll stop by before you go in."

Mia's voice softened with happiness. "I'd love that. I'll wait for you."

"Good. I'll be there soon."

When Mia hung up, she quickly texted the name and location of the clinic to Jeff before she turned to Tyler, who was preparing for the surgery. "I'm going to wait for Jeff," she said, her voice steady but filled with warmth.

Tyler gave her a kind smile. "Of course. You can wait in my office. I'll let the receptionist know you're expecting him."

Mia nodded and sat down in one of the plush chairs, her heart fluttering with anticipation. She couldn't wait to see Jeff, to hold him and thank him for everything he'd done.

A short while later, Jeff arrived at the hospital, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder, and the receptionist directed him to Tyler's office. When he stepped inside, his heart skipped a beat at the sight of Mia.

She stood up as soon as she saw him, her eyes shining. Without a word, she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. Jeff held her close, breathing in her warmth, feeling the weight of the past few weeks lift off his shoulders. "I'm so glad you're here," Mia whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I wouldn't be anywhere else," Jeff replied softly, stroking her hair. Tyler, sensing the moment, excused himself, leaving them alone.

They pulled apart and as they gazed at each other smiling, Mia took Jeff's hand. "Now that you're finally out of there, I can breathe freely. Thank you for standing by me, Jeff. Thank you for putting your life on hold for my sake. I can't tell you how much that means to me," Mia said as she took Jeff's hand.

Jeff shook his head, his voice gentle. "All that matters is that you're okay."

"It matters to me that you're okay too, and we came out of this unscathed," Mia said, since that had been her major worry.

"I've been meaning to ask, what should I call you now? Mia Or Vanessa?" He asked, and she

grinned.

"Which do you think I am?"

Their conversation was interrupted by the breaking story being delivered by the news anchor on the television in the corner of the room. Both their gazes turned to the screen when they

heard Henry's name.

"The prominent businessman, Henry Rosewood, has passed away this morning. Sources from the hospital confirm that the notorious CEO, who had been battling severe health issues, died just hours ago. The Rosewood family has yet to release an official statement." Mia's breath caught in her throat, her entire body freezing as the words sank in. Her heart raced, her mind spinning. "He's...he's really gone," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her knees wobbled, and she reached for the armrest to steady herself, but Jeff was there, holding her up, grounding her in the moment.

"I can't believe it," Mia said, her voice trembling. "He's finally gone." Jeff held her tighter, his voice steady. "Now everyone can finally have peace."

Mia leaned against him, the weight of Henry's death crashing over her in waves. She didn't

know whether to feel relief, sadness, or something in between. All she knew was that the man who had haunted her for so long was finally gone. Not just out of her life, but out of the world

for good.

Jeff embraced her and kissed her forehead, "Go in for your surgery," Jeff said gently. "I will be here when you're done."

Mia looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and affection. She kissed him softly, a silent promise passing between them, before she turned and walked away toward the

operating room.

As Jeff watched her go, his heart filled with love and hope. He waited until she disappeared from view before he took out his phone and dialed Barry's line.

Once Barry confirmed that Henry was indeed dead, Jeff let out a sigh of relief. Henry Rosewood was gone, and now Mia would heal properly and never have to fear anything again.