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Chapter Text

Chapter 1

New York City - Present Day

Arkanis-Hays Minor International Holdings Inc. Headquarter

Hayanis Hotel 

Paige was dying.

An excruciating and painful death.

And there was very little that Rose could do about the tragic situation. Four years prior, Paige was diagnosed with leukemia – acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) to be exact.

It all started out with minor aches, bruises that wouldn’t go away and fevers.

As a waitress working at a busy restaurant, Paige thought that her body was simply getting older and didn’t put much thought to it.

But then, the body pain intensified. Paige lost weight dramatically and she started to bleed.

That was when Paige decided to see a doctor and received her prognosis – it was leukemia.

It was cancer of the blood.  

Rose recalled Paige’s initial optimism.

At first they were hopeful. The doctors had told them that because Paige was relatively young there was a high survival rate at over 65 percent.

But hope slowly dimmed when one treatment after another failed.

Cancer was winning. 

Pae-Pae (33) was her only family left on this good earth and Rose refused to believe that cancer would take her.

The Fates wouldn’t be so cruel to her – surely.  

There was one treatment left to try. It was a last resort treatment reserved for when all other treatments have failed.

For Paige, it was her final option.  

None of the treatment that came before had worked. Paige would go into remission for a few months but then cancer would return with a vengeance.   

That last treatment option. There was no way that they would be able to afford it.

Not with their present situation.

Maybe if they return home, their uncle would help them. Rose had suggested the idea to Paige but her sister was adamant that there was no home to return to.

Paige reminded Rose that it wasn’t safe. That it was imperative that they remain hidden.

“Excuse me, Miss,” A stocky older male with short white hair asked a question and pulled Rose back to the present time.  

Rose was working part-time at the corporate reception desk at Hayanis Hotel (pronounce Hey-Ya(r)-Niz).

She knew that it was risky because there was a slim chance that she would run into her uncle but Rose was desperate for money and the Hayanis Hotel was the only place with a decent pay that hired her.

As a rising senior in college, her job opportunities were limited and Rose was grateful for the position. She had been working at the hotel for three months and so far there was no sign of her uncle.

“Do you know if the Vice President of Hotel Development is currently in?” The older man inquired nervously.

The Hayanis Hotel in New York City served as the flagship hotel and the international headquarter for the Arkanis-Hays Minor Company. Naturally, it was located at the center of the Universe – that is to say Times Square.

Rose made it her duty to memorize the names and faces of all the executives working at the Arkanis-Hays Minor Company. Her job at the corporate front desk meant that she turned a lot of people away if they didn’t have an appointment.   

Rose saw Armitage Naberrie, the Vice President of Hotel Development, a few times in the three months that she’d been with the company but only in passing. Mr. Naberrie always seemed to be brooding. His forest green eyes stood out against his dark brown hair.       

“Do you have an appointment with Mr. Naberrie?” Rose asked as she opened the Vice President’s work calendar.     

“Well, not quite but if you could tell Mr. Naberrie that Unkar Plutt is here to see …” Unkar’s request was interrupted when two burly men in black suits emerged from Mr. Naberrie’s office. They ushered Plutt inside the office where he sat across from the VP.   

Armitage Naberrie Skywalker Hux (30) was seated at his polished mahogany desk. Dressed in impeccable style, Hux leaned back on his burgundy classic tufted leather armchair.  

“Unkar Plutt,” the VP addressed the older man. “You have some nerves showing your face here.” Hux’s voice was deadly calm despite the tense atmosphere in the office.

“Mr. Hux … I …” Unkar began nervously. 

“Not that name,” Hux interrupted with a wave of his hand and his jaw clenched involuntarily. It was the first display of emotion that Unkar saw from the younger man.

“Apologies, Mr. Naberrie. I wanted to talk to you about my situation. I made a terrible mistake, you see. It was a momentary lapsed of judgment. Surely, we could come to an agreement.” Unkar shifted nervously on the tufted leather armchair and readjusted his striped necktie.

“A momentary lapsed of judgment you say? I would say the opposite, Plutt,” Hux casually rested one hand on his table and began to slowly tap his ring finger on the table surface. The soft thudding sound was deafening with the rising tension in the office.   

“You embezzled ten millions from the company in the past two years. You abused your position as director of the Florida branch and you have the nerve to ask for an agreement?” Hux was well aware that money and greed could do funny things to a man but to think that one could get away with stealing – preposterous.

“I have a wife and four children. Sir, they need me. You can’t send me to jail,” Plutt pleaded his case. He realized his dire situation, walked around the table, and got down on his knees to beg for leniency.

“Don’t forget your two mistresses,” Hux added.

He had hired a team of private detectives to conduct a thorough investigation on Plutt’s embezzlement case. The team reported that Plutt siphoned company’s money to fund his extravagant lifestyle with his family along with his two secret mistresses.

Hux was done with their conversation.

Plutt was guilty and he would face the consequences of his poor judgment. Hux got up from his leather armchair when Plutt made a sudden move and grabbed his wrist to once more beg for leniency.

Hux pulled his wrist free and proceeded to kick the older man in the chest and Plutt fell awkwardly backward in the middle of the office’s carpeted floor.

“Grand larceny in the State of New York faced between 8 and 24 years of jail time, 30 years in the state of Florida,” Hux informed the fallen older man who was now crawling on his hands and knees.

“Please, sir,” Plutt pleaded, “for the sake of my family, if not for me. My children are still so young. How would my wife manage with me in jail?” Plutt was back on his knees imploring for mercy.

Hux turned his impassive forest green eyes on the older man. “You should have thought about that before you stole from the company.”

Plutt made a move to touch the younger man again and so Hux kicked the older man away.

What a pathetic fool, Hux thought to himself. Plutt was just another poor bastard who sold his soul in exchanged for money.

It wasn’t surprising.  

After all, everyone had a price.

For the right price, people would and could do unspeakable things. It was the same everywhere.  

He was now done with their conversation and informed his bodyguards to drag Plutt away when he saw a small figure standing in front of his office door with her brown eyes wide opened.                   

The office was a few doors down the main corridor but Rose could partially hear their conversation since the office’s door was left open.

Rose couldn’t believe that the VP would be so heartless. That he would be so cruel to another human being.

“How could you kick him?” Rose asked in bewilderment. 

“You would do well to mind your own business … miss?” The VP inquired with the King’s English. His received pronunciation crystal clear.  

“Kamino. Rose Kamino (22),” Rose walked over to where Plutt was and tried to help him up from the office floor.

Hux recognized the curvaceous petite female as the new receptionist. She looked very young and so Hux would forgive her transgression – just this once.  

“Miss Kamino, I would advise you to return to your post,” Hux gave her a dismissing look.

Rose ignored Hux’s advice and rushed to the older man’s side. Plutt was still on his knees. No matter what the older man had done, Rose believed that he deserved to be treated with some semblance of dignity.

“Get away from me you silly girl,” Plutt pushed Rose away from him and Rose couldn’t understand why the older man would put himself in such humiliating situation.

“I’ll have you know that Plutt here embezzled ten millions from the company,” Hux informed the petite female in white collar shirt and black pencil skirt who was looking at him like he was a naughty misbehaved child.

And for some strange reasons he suddenly felt the need to justify his action.

“Then let the law takes care of it. You have no right to hurt him.” Rose turned her attention to Hux and admonished him.

Hux signaled Chewie, Arturito, and CePeO to remove Plutt from the office. Plutt protested loudly but was overpowered by the three guards. He continued to beg for leniency as he was being dragged away.  

A short moment later Hux found himself alone with the petite female with long dark hair.

“You shouldn’t concern yourself with the likes of Plutt. That greedy bastard would do anything for money. If you live long enough, you’ll find that money could buy everything.” Hux readjusted his suit and returned to his desk.

Rose could not believe that the man in front of her would be so cruel. If this was how the company was run then Rose didn’t want to be a part of it.  

She was angry and baffled by the scene of an older man being treated like dirt. Caught up in her emotions Rose walked up to the mahogany desk. She boldly stared directly into those forest green eyes, “You’re wrong. Money can only buy most things.”

Rose noticed that his green eyes dilated. Perhaps her words anger him. Good.         

“There are some things that money could never buy. No matter how much you try to buy it, you will never be able to obtain it. Some things and some people could never be bought”

This petite woman was … lecturing him? Rose Kamino was fearless. Hux would give her some credits for speaking her mind.

However, her words challenged him.

Who was she to contradict him? … just a young slip of a girl.

Hux raised his brow and leaned closer to her with his elbows resting on the desk and his fingers interlocking. He studied her face for a moment. Her brown eyes were familiar to him somehow.

“What if I were to offer you one million dollars,” Hux gave Rose a chilling smile, “All you have to do is admit that you are in the wrong. I can sign the check right now. Go on … admit that you’re wrong,” He gave a small encouraging gesture with his chin. He was being a dick on purpose. 

Hux then leaned back on his leather chair. He projected an air of confidence.

Any second now, Rose Kamino would admit that HE was right and SHE was wrong thus proving his point that money could buy everything.

Rose gave him a disapproving look.

The two locked eyes with one another. The tension in the room was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. 

“You are … wrong, Mr. Naberrie,” Rose finally gave her answer.

“Money can only buy some things, not everything. And I’m afraid I can no longer work here.”

Rose made her way back to the reception desk to gather her belongings but before she exit the VP’s office she turned back to look at the dark haired man one last time.

“You have no heart. You’re just a big jerk and a big meanie.”

And with that Rose made her grand exit. Hux watched her back as she walked away leaving him stunned and speechless.

How was it possible that he … that he lost!

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Geonosis General Hospital

Department of Hematology and Oncology

Upper East Side

So stupid … stupid … stupid, Rose thought to herself as she stepped down from the bus.

How could she be so stupid?

Her pride had cost her part-time job. Rose was too caught up in the moment. Armitage Naberrie was being a total dick and Rose couldn’t let him have the satisfaction of being right.

She replayed his dumbfounded face again in her mind. It brought some comfort but not enough.  

How was she to pay for Paige’s cancer treatment?

Paige needed the last resort treatment but it came with a hefty price tag. 

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell therapy was their last hope. The doctors had told them that T-Cell therapy was risky and demanding but nothing else had worked.

Paige was still sick.

And now … now Rose didn’t have her part-time job. She wanted to cry. 

Rose took the elevator to the fifth floor of the hospital. Paige was admitted to the hospital again. Cancer was taking a huge toll on her sister’s body.

Rose could tell that it was becoming more difficult for Paige to walk. Her lungs were failing and the smallest physical task was becoming almost impossible to perform.

Rose opened the door to the hospital room and Paige turned in Rose’s direction and gave a small smile.

“Hello, Ro-Ro,” Paige greeted her younger sister warmly.

“How are you feeling today, Pae-Pae?”

“I’m doing okay. You look tired. You haven’t been skipping meals, have you?” Paige voice was full of concern. Rose was about to start her last year of college and Paige didn’t want her health to negatively impact her sister’s education.

“I have not. I promised you that I wouldn’t,” Rose replied.

Rose was studying mechanical engineering with a special focus on green energy. Her college education was fully funded. That meant her dorm room, textbooks, and meals at her college’s dining halls were paid for by her academic scholarship.

They found out about the cancer a few months prior to Rose’s high school graduation. Paige was fighting the disease with all her might and Rose wanted to help. She took a gap year before starting her college to work and save up some money.

But it wasn’t enough.

It was never enough.

They were running up credit card debts to pay for Paige’s cancer treatment since Paige could no longer work as a waitress.  

Rose sat down on the chair beside her sister’s bed and held Paige’s delicate hand in hers.

Paige looked frail, her face was pale and Rose didn’t have the heart to tell her sister that she lost her part-time job. Rose had told Paige that she was working at a corporate office – omitting the fact that she was working for the Arkanis-Hays Minor International Hotel.       

“Pae-Pae … maybe we should ask uncle for help,” Rose brought up the sensitive subject tentatively.

“No,” Paige shook her head, “We’ve talked about this. Mom’s gone, Dad’s gone, and Anthony’s gone. They are all dead. We can’t go back. It’s not safe, Ro. You were too young to remember but I heard what he said that day. He meant to harm the both of us.”

“But he’s our blood uncle,” Rose said. She couldn’t believe uncle Snoke would really hurt them.

“Ro, we have to stay hidden. You can never reveal to anyone that you’re a Tico. Use the new identity even when I’m not here.”

“Don’t say that! Pae!” Rose couldn’t accept that a day might come – soon – that she’d be the only one left alive.

“You’re not going to die. You’re going to get better with the T-cell therapy. I know it’s expensive but my work has been good. You just work on getting better and leave the rest to me, okay?”

Paige squeezed Rose’s hand in a quiet acknowledgement. They both knew the truth. The unspoken truth that was unavoidable. 

That Rose was lying to her sister. But anything was better than the truth. Because the truth was admitting defeat.  

Admitting that cancer was winning.

Admitting that Paige was dying.

Admitting that they didn’t have enough money for the expensive treatment.

Admitting that there was only despair and hopelessness waiting at the end of their long and difficult journey.

The truth was unacceptable and so Rose lied.

The lies kept hope a possibility … kept hope alive.         

“I’ll visit again tomorrow. The semester starts again in two weeks so I won’t be able to see you every day but I’ll visit every week,” Rose got up and kissed Paige’s forehead before she turned to leave.

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College Dorm

Morningside Heights

Mid-August  

Rose got back to her dorm room around 4pm. It was late summer and the city was buzzing with energy. People were out enjoying the sun and the company they keep.

Rose didn’t see any of it. She was too preoccupied with her living nightmare.

Without a college degree, it was extremely difficult to make a lot of money legally.

She had zero knowledge of the black market of New York City but surely one must exist.

Don’t they exist in every major city?, Rose mused to herself.

What would she even do in this supposed black market? What was she willing to do for money to pay for her sister’s medical care? To buy more time. To save her sister’s life.

A pair of forest green eyes and the offer of one million dollars intruded her mind.

She should have swallowed her pride and accepted the offer.

That way, Pae-Pae would get her treatment.

Was he right? That money could buy everything.

Seeing Paige today … her sister’s health was deteriorating fast. Paige had looked much worse today compared to yesterday.

Rose had cried on the subway on her way back to her dorm. She didn’t want to be the only one left alive. Didn’t want to be all alone.  

She needed Paige to get the T-cell treatment. She needed money. Half a million to be exact.

But Rose didn’t know how to find so much money on such short notice. She didn’t have any extraordinary skill to offer and she didn’t possess anything of value to sell.

The only thing she had from her ‘before’ time was her pendant. It was white gold but definitely not worth half a million.

Rose sat down on the living room’s sofa hugging her legs close to her chest in a fetal position.

There must be something she could do.

Paige worked so hard after they had left everything behind when she was only eighteen. Rose was only seven at the time so some of her memories of the ‘before’ time were hazy but some moments were still vivid in her mind.

Rose remembered laughter. Her mom would braid her hair. Her dad would sing her lullabies, she remembered his voice. And Anthony, her brother, the oldest of the three siblings. Anthony was twelve years older than her. Rose remembered missing him when he went away to college.

That was before.

Now they were all dead. Now, it was just her and Paige.  

“Hey Rose, are you okay there?” Rey asked and sat down beside Rose on the large suede brown sofa.

Reylyn Johnson Palpatine (21) was Rose’s roommate. She was also a runaway – of sorts.

They met during their first year of college and had been roommates and best friends ever since. Rey came from old money but she cut ties with her grandfather since according to Rey dear old grandpappy wanted her to be someone’s trophy wife.

Rey refused the arranged marriage and ran away.   

“Do you know how to make a lot of money - fast,” Rose gently rocked herself back and forth in her sitting fetal position and turned to face her friend with her head resting between her knees.

“Legally?” Rey inquired.

“Preferably but … yeah,” Rose replied.

Rey was quiet for a long moment. “You could do what I do. My sugar daddy is really sweet,” Rey offered Rose a viable option.

Rose always thought it was strange how Rey had cut ties with her grandfather as Rey saw the whole trophy wife situation as grandpapa selling her off but then was super okay with her sugar daddy and sugar baby relationship.

Rose had asked Rey about it once and Rey had said that even though she was technically ‘selling herself’ as a sugar baby, it was her choice to do so with one steady sugar daddy who happened to be rich, good-looking and quite doting on her.

There was no denying that Kylo Ren (29) was rich. The man drove a Ferrari SF90 Stradale. As for his looks, Rose supposed that he was good-looking in the tall, dark, and I’m likely to murder you if you get too close to my personal space kind of guy. If you’re into that then …well … Kylo Ren was the stuff of dreams.  

Rey had told her that being with Kylo Ren was like having a husband with a clear understanding that the relationship was never meant to last forever.

It was not a till-death-do-us-part kind of relationship. Not in sickness and in health kind either.  

The relationship came with an expired date.

They both get what they wanted – money, companionship, sex – and then eventually they parted ways.

To put it that way, it wasn’t so bad.

“You might be in luck. My sugar daddy said that his cousin is looking for someone,” Rey tilted her head to the side to study her friend. She knew that Rose had a sick sister. She also knew that Rose was hiding from her uncle who may or may not have killed her parents and older brother.

“Are you interested in meeting him?”

Money could buy everything.

Maybe that obnoxious prick was right … after all.

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Three Weeks Later

Hays Minor Hotel

Meatpacking District  

Early September

The past three weeks had been a whirlwind of activity. The new semester started and there were a lot of academic responsibilities now that she was in her last year at Coruscant University. Paige was still in the hospital. The doctors had said that she needed close monitoring.

Her sister was declining fast.

There were so many things to do and Rose was operating on auto-pilot. She needed to keep going. She would get that sugar money and Paige would be well again.

Rose told herself that she would do all she could for her sister since Paige had worked so hard after their parents and older brother passed. They had just moved to New York from London. It was supposed to be a big family adventure, a new business expansion, a new house, a new school, a new city.

But that was ‘before’ and now they were all gone.

If being a sugar baby could pay for her sister’s treatment then Rose was more than willing. It wouldn’t be forever, just until the treatment was complete.

Rey said that Kylo Ren’s cousin was called Armie. The name was relatively normal by rich people standard.    

Rose didn’t know how to be a sugar baby. What should she wear to their first meeting? Traditional, conservative, casual, flirty, or what exactly?  

There were some materials online to read but Rose was too busy to do a thorough research. It wouldn’t matter much anyways if this Armie didn’t like her then she would have to look for another sugar daddy on an official website.

One way or another, she would get the money.

Paige was going to get better – Rose refused to accept the alternative.

Rey had said that she should be up-front and firm about her boundaries. Rose was not naïve to believe that this was dating. It was pure business. This Armie wanted a sugar baby for reasons and Rose needed a sugar daddy for reasons.

There would be no love.

Rose mentally prepared herself as she stepped inside the Hays Minor Hotel. 

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Hux sat at the Hays Minor Hotel lobby in his usual three piece suit. It was still too warm for a vest. Hays Minor Hotel in the Meatpacking District was one of the smaller hotels under the management of Arkanis-Hays Minor International Hotel Holdings Inc.

The exterior was vintage, old-world inspired with white limestone and red bricks and high ceilings. The interior was nautical themed as the Hudson River could be seen from the rooftop.  

He was waiting for his sugar baby.

Hux let out an exaggerated exhale after taking a sip of his black tea. The situation was ridiculous but times were hard. 

Beggars can’t be choosers.

Four Weeks Prior

Yacht Party

Near Scaparus Port – Monaco

Hux was attending a social function on a luxury superyacht, the Eclipse. Sheev Palpatine was hosting a gathering for his ‘inner circle’. Hux was required to attend as his father wanted to maintain a good relationship with the Palpatine Clan.

The Palpatines had a hand in multiple hospitality businesses and Sheev was the patriarch of the family. Brendol Hux, Armitage’s father, wanted a future partnership with the magnate and so here he was – ever the dutiful son.  

Hux found the whole affair to be dull but his father had demanded his presence.

“So, Brendol, I heard that young Hux here turned 30 this year,” Palpatine made the comment and raised his glass of brandy in his hand.

“Yes, Sheev,” Brendol replied.

“He’s you’re only heir, yes?” Sheev made a rhetorical comment and turned to Armitage, “And young Hux is here alone? How preposterous! A man your age should settle down and start building a family,” Sheev continued, his voice grave.

“Are you seeing someone?” Sheev asked hopefully. 

“No, sir,” Hux replied.

Sheev shook his head. His disappointment was plain as day. He prided himself as a family man. He ran a family business. Yes, it was a big business but family came first.

That was the end of the conversation on his relationship status and Sheev moved on to other topics. Hux thought it was a harmless question of no consequence.

But he was wrong.

Two days after the yacht social gathering, his father showed up at his New York apartment to give him a beating. Physical abuse from his father was nothing out of the ordinary but this time he brought with him two security guards who did most of the pounding.

“You embarrassed me in front of Sheev Palpatine,” Brendol said in between punching his abdomen.

“Get yourself a girlfriend or better yet a wife or I’ll make the arrangement for you.” The elder Hux then stormed out without a backward glance.

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Hays Minor Hotel

Present Day

Get himself a wife his father had commanded. Hux wasn’t crazy enough to get another human being tangled up in his messed up family. No one deserved to be in the middle of this particular shit show that was his life.  

And so, Hux had decided to hire a girlfriend.

His cousin had suggested a sugar baby. This way everyone knew their place in the story. There wouldn’t be any strange expectation.

Business was business.

He’d bring his sugar baby to social gatherings to keep his father and potential business partners happy and when it was done, they would part ways – amicably.

All he knew was that his potential sugar baby was a college student at Coruscant University and she was in desperate need of money.

It was a Saturday morning and the hotel was busy with guests moving about. Rose arrived at the hotel and walked up to a reception desk. She wore a simple beige dress. Rey had given her clear instructions. Rose was to ask for Chewie at the front desk. He would be the one to lead her to her potential sugar daddy.

Simple enough.

Chewie led her to a small alcove on the far side of the hotel lobby. A tall man with dark brown hair was seated with his back to her. When the man turned his head to look at her, she realized that this Armie was Armitage Naberrie.

“You!” Hux and Rose said in an almost perfect unison.

Hux gave a small and humorless laugh. He remembered the petite black haired female who had challenged him. Rose had said that money couldn’t buy everything and yet here she was.

The irony was not lost on him.

She must be in need of money. Quite desperately, perhaps. But then again maybe she was in it for other reasons. Maybe she liked getting money from older rich men with no strings attached.

When his cousin, Ben Solo, had suggested a sugar baby, Hux just wanted someone to placate his father. He didn’t plan on having an intimate relationship with his sugar baby but now things were different.

He wanted to prove that he was right. That money could, in fact, buy everything.

Hux wanted Rose to lose and for her to admit defeat.

He wanted victory. He wanted to win.

How dared she looked down on him when she was just like the rest of them.

“Rose Kamino, fancy seeing you here,” Hux used his most saccharine voice.

“No, this is not going to work,” Rose muttered to herself.

Rose was desperate for money but this obnoxious  prick? Could she go through with it?

Paige needs that treatment.

“Have a seat, Miss Kamino,” Hux remained seated as he waved his hand in the direction of the seat on the other side of the low coffee table.

Could she really go through with it?

Surely, there were other sugar daddies out there. One that was less of a dick.

But Paige couldn’t wait. Time was not on her side. And so Rose took a deep breath and walked to the seat opposite of the big jerk.

“I take it that you must have dire financial needs for you to be here,” Hux got right to the heart of the matter. There was no point for polite conversation.

Rose could only give a small nod as a reply.

“Well, if you recalled, I happened to have plenty of money,” Hux then gave a smug smile.

Hux’s smile grated on her nerve. Did the big jerk think that he had won just because Rose was here as a potential sugar baby. He was no longer her employer and so Rose didn’t have to hold anything back.

“What? More than what you offered me last time?” Rose asked in faux surprise. 

“Perhaps,” Hux drawled.

The burning fire in her brown eyes reminded him of someone. Someone from his past. Hux brushed the thought aside and refocused on the scene before him. Rose was fierce even when she was in no position to be so openly defiant.

“I need a companion. Someone to accompany me to social events and play nice with my father and his business associates,” Hux laid out his terms.

Rose remained quiet but it was clear that she was considering all of her options.

“I’ll give you a monthly allowance. Ten grand plus another ten for each social event,” Hux offered.

“What else do you need me to do?” Rose asked tentatively.

Hux projected an air of ennui when in fact he was a bit giddy. Victory was so very close. He could practically taste the sweetness of it.

If he was going to do this, Hux was going to go all in. 

“I’ll set up an apartment for you on the Upper East Side so it wouldn’t be a long commute to your school,” Hux slid two sets of papers on the table in her direction. One copy for him and one for her.

“I have my own place.” Rose didn’t understand why she needed a new apartment.

“I’m not fucking you in your dorm room.”

“What?” Rose was having trouble following the sudden turn of their conversation.

“You have to work to earn your keep, sugar baby,” Hux uttered the words in slow mocking tone.

“But don’t worry, sweetness, it won’t be too difficult. You’ll be lying down on your back most of the time.”   

Rose had told herself that it wouldn’t be so bad. She could do this for her sister. But the vulgarity and crudeness of this prick was getting to her. He was doing this on purpose, Rose was sure of it.

Could I really go through with it?

I have to think of Paige.

Paige was running out of time.  

Hux was aware of the cruelty of the situation. He was being a dick for the sake of being a dick.

He wanted his victory.

And so he went for the overkill.

“I’ll give you another ten grand each time I fuck you. Maybe more, if you please me enough,” Hux knew that his offer was more than generous and if Rose was truly desperate for money then it would be foolish to turn down his offer.

“The contract is for six months,” Hux gestured to the stack of papers between them.

Hux reached for the fountain pen from his breast pocket and offered it to Rose.

Rose made a quick mental calculation. She would get sixty grand from her monthly allowance and if she slept with the dickhead at least two times a week then she would have enough money for Paige.

Rose looked at the pen in Armie’s hand then looked up into his eyes.

“I want all six months of my monthly allowance upfront,” Rose negotiated the terms.

“Fine,” Hux replied nonchalantly.

Rose study Armie’s profile for a moment. His forest green eyes seemed familiar to her somehow but Rose couldn’t remember where she had seen them before.

It was now or never.

She couldn’t lose her sister. Not without a fight and so Rose took the pen from the dickhead and signed her name on the papers. She told herself that she could do it. It was only for six months. It won’t be forever.

“It seems that you were mistaken before, Miss Kamino,” Hux drawled, “As you see, money could buy anything, even you,” Hux gave her a smug smile as she signed her name on the dotted lines of the contract papers.

Rose wrote down her cellphone number and email address on his contract copy before she placed the fountain pen on the table and put her copy in her tote bag.

“I have a prior engagement today but you can call me tomorrow to go over the details together,” Rose got up from her seat and after taking several steps toward the main exit doors she turned back to look at Hux.   

“Other than money, I don’t see a prick like you have anything else to offer the world,” Rose imparted her words then turned to walk away.     

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

London – Eighteen Years Prior

Haysian Hotel

Inside the main grand ballroom of Haysian Hotel, Hue (44) and Snoke Tico (46) stood centered stage in front of a podium together with their arms wrapped around the other’s shoulder. The brothers in formal dark suits gave a joint speech celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the hotel’s establishment.

It was a celebratory milestone for the Tico family.

Located in central London, Haysian Hotel was a luxury hotel catering to European royalties, along with the rich and famous.

Storm Tico (80) founded the Haysian Hotel when he was only thirty years old with his trusty business partners, the Huxes.  

The patriarch of the Tico family started his first hotel in British Hong Kong before expanding the hotel chain to Europe. The Hux family had roots in the United Kingdom hospitality business that went back generations and they were good friends with the Tico family.

And so, the combination of old world charms and new world money made the partnership a successful business model.  

Storm was proud of his accomplishments and proud of his sons. He had tasked Hue, his favored younger son, with the new expansion project in North America. It was time to cross the Atlantic Ocean. It was time to enter a new market.

Hue and his wife, Thanya, had been making multiple trips to New York City in the past five years to oversee the new expansion. His youngest granddaughter, Rosalia Tico, was born in the States.

Everything was going according to plan.

Storm had worked hard and it was time to pass the baton to the next generation so that he could spend more time with his wife, Etta (72). She had been encouraging him to retire so that they could spend more time gardening and spoiling their grandbabies.  

Tonight he would make a major announcement.

His age was catching up to him and it was time to step back from the business side of things.

His younger son was more than capable. Hue would carry on the family empire.

Hue would inherit his position as the patriarch of the Tico family.

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The celebration was a family friendly affair rather than a black tie event. Storm took pride in his material success. But his greatest accomplishment in life was his family. His dear wife, two sons and his adorable grandchildren.

Storm would never admit to having a favorite but everyone could see that little Ro-Ro was the apple of his eye.

And so, there were a handful of children present at the Haysian Hotel 50^th Anniversary Celebration.

Young Hux (12) was among the attendants. He sat on a staircase just outside the grand ballroom where most people were congregating.

His father, Brendol Hux, would be giving a speech shortly after the Tico brothers. Fortunately for him, young Hux was not expected to make an appearance. 

Hux sat quietly hugging himself. His body was riddled with pain. He should be used to it. Hux thought he would be used to the pain by now.

Six whole months had passed since he lost his family.

Since he lost everyone. 

His mother, Lyra Skywalker Hux and his older brother Braxton Amidala Skywalker Hux didn’t survive their car accident. He was told that it was a drunk driver.

At the age of twelve, young Hux understood that his mother and older brother were now gone. He had cried for them. He had nightmares of them dying that lasted weeks. Young Hux turned to his father for comfort but soon learned that his father was also gone.

Not dead … but gone all the same.

The passing of Lyra and Braxton had permanently changed his father – and not for the better.  

Brendol was no longer the same man he once was. He spent all his time working, expanding his business, and making money.

Young Hux was ignored. 

His father had grieved deeply for the loss of his beloved wife and favored child. Brendol refused to look at young Hux. His father had said that his red hair reminded him too much of his darling wife who was now dead.

That he was an unpleasant presence.

That he should have died instead of his precious Braxton.

That it was unfair for someone so useless to live on when his dear child was taken from him.

The verbal abuse soon turned physical. It started with the occasional push and rough contact when his father was in a foul mood or when he was drinking too much.

Then it escalated to kicking and punching. Sometimes his father hit his face. But those were rare occasions.

Usually Brendol hit him in places that would be covered by clothing so that no one would suspect foul play.

His mere existence was a nuisance to his father.

He had realized that the car accident took his mother, brother and his father as well.

He had to be strong for he was now all alone.

“Carrot … Carrot,” A familiar toddler’s voice caught his attention.

“Carrot, are you sad?”

A small child with her midnight hair in pigtails and pink butterfly bows approached him, climbed the few steps, and deposited her tiny body on his lap.  

Young Hux winced from his injury but didn’t push the tiny toddler dressed in red away. Little Ro was wearing a red dress with tiny dotted white hearts and a pair of pink Mary Jane shoes and white lace socks.

The Ticos and the Huxes were close family friends and they often attend social functions and charity events together. His older brother, Braxton, when he was alive, was good friends with Anthony and Paige as they were similar in age. In a sense, they all grew up together.   

“I’m fine, Kitty,” Young Hux eased the child’s worry.

About a year prior, little Ro had brought her baby rabbit to one of their social functions and young Hux had mentioned that little Ro looked very cute and very round just like the Netherland Dwarf kitten and so Hux had started calling little Ro, Kitty.

Being only three and small for her age, the little girl didn’t take too kindly at being called a kitty.

She was no baby rabbit!

Little Ro had huffed, crossed her arms across her chest and stomped her feet.

It so happened that during their little spat, Bun-Bun, the rabbit was munching on a carrot stick.   The toddler had told him that if she was a Kitty then young Hux was a Carrot because the two shared the same coloring.

The pet names were amusing to both children and so they continued on long after their squabble had ended.

Kitty (3) reached her tiny hand up to cup his face with her head tilted back to look up at him. “Your eyes are sad.” The comment was made with an innocence that only a child possessed.

“I don’t like it when your eyes are sad. They are green and pwretty.”

“I’m fine, Kitty,” Young Hux repeated his answer to the young child on his lap and hugged her close.

Little Ro just kept her bright brown eyes focused on him. Young Hux didn’t want to worry the toddler. She was too young to understand and he wanted to shield her from his pain. The least he could do was to protect Kitty from the ugliness of the world for a while longer. 

Kitty didn’t know why her Carrot was so sad but she didn’t like seeing his bright eyes so dimmed. She reached into her dress’ pocket and pulled out an ornate heart shaped music box.

The jewelry box was white-gold plated over brass with yellow ornate gold accent. The feet were also made of brass. 

Kitty lifted the cover and the winding key could be seen under the lid. Hux could see dark wool lined the inside of the box.

“This is my heart,” the little toddler said, “It has lots of wishing stars.” The small toddler presented her shiny object to young Hux.

“It’s my birthday present from mommy and daddy. You can see my name here,” little Ro pointed to her name, Rosalia Tico, engraved under the lid of the box next to the winding key.

“That’s what mommy said.” At the age of almost four, Little Ro couldn’t yet read but knew that young Hux could so she wanted him to see her name.    

Her birthday was next month and then she’d finally get to turn four.

Everyone else was older than her. She wanted to be big too!

“You see the stars in here? You can hold one in your hand and make a wish. Then it will come true.” Kitty then used her tiny fingers to pick up a red star and beamed him a sunny smile.

“Like this,” the toddler held the plastic red star tightly in one clenched fist with her eyes closed as she demonstrated to young Hux how one was supposed to go about wishing on a magical shiny plastic star.

Young Hux returned the smile. A twinkle of amusement returned to his forest green eyes. He had prepared a birthday gift for his young friend. 

“I have a present for you, Kitty.”

He pulled a small heart shaped locket pendant from the pocket of his suit.

“It’s your birthday present,” Hux knew that the toddler adored all things heart shaped and butterfly shaped and so he had gotten her a heart pendant. 

The pendant opened into a locket. On the left side ‘My Kitty’ was engraved in the center and a recent picture of the two of them framed the right side of the locket.

Hux had asked his nanny for help with the personalized gift.

Young Hux had overheard his father on the phone recently talking to someone about sending him away to a boarding school.

He didn’t know where he was heading or when or even if he would ever be back.

Hux had lost everyone close to him and he just wanted little Kitty to remember him.

So that he wouldn’t be completely forgotten. 

“A present for me?”

“Yes, for you, Kitty. See, it’s a necklace.” Hux opened the locket, “with our picture inside,” Young Hux showed the present to the toddler still perched on his lap.    

“Oh, it’s a heart!”

“Would you like to wear it?” 

“Okay,” she nodded her head, “It’s so pwretty!” Little Ro then examined Young Hux’s face. He still looked sad to her and she didn’t want to see Carrot’s pretty eyes so sad.

But she didn’t know what to do.

That was when an idea occurred to her.

Young Hux had given her a present and she could give him a present in return. 

“Carrot, you can have my wishing stars. You can make lots and lots of wishes and then you won’t be sad anymore.” Little Ro closed the lid of the jewelry box and handed it over to young Hux but he shook his head.

“It’s your birthday present, Kitty. I can’t take it from you.”

The tiny toddler didn’t quite understand why Carrot couldn’t take the wishing stars when she wanted him to have them. Her eyebrows furrowed and she put the box down on the step.

“Ro-Ro? Where are you, Ro-Ro?” Thanya’s voice could be heard faintly from the grand ballroom’s direction.

Little Ro sprung up from young Hux’s lap, “Mommy’s calling me. I have to go now,” the toddler then dashed away from his line of sight and disappeared inside the grand ballroom.

Young Hux pressed a hand over his stomach in a self-soothing gesture. Kitty’s sudden movement moments ago reminded him – quite painfully – that his injuries have yet to heal. 

He was now alone. With only his injuries keeping him company.

Young Hux cocked his head to one side and a shiny object caught his attention. Kitty had left her musical jewelry box on the step next to him. It was Kitty’s birthday gift. He really should return it to her. He had no right keeping it even if Kitty had said that she wanted him to have it.

Hux was twelve, he didn’t believe in wishing stars. There was no such thing.

Wishes don’t come true. 

But even when he didn’t believe in them … even when he knew that wishing stars weren’t real. It had been a long time since anyone had given him anything so hopeful.

Not since the accident. Not since he had lost everything. 

And so, young Hux picked up the heart shaped jewelry box filled with plastic wishing stars and safely and carefully stored it away inside his pocket.

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New York City - Present Day

Arkanis-Hays Minor International Holdings Inc. Headquarter

Hux’s Office

Last Week of September

Two weeks had passed since Hux had acquired a sugar baby.

He purchased a new apartment on the Upper East Side with the view of Central Park. They met several times in these past two weeks to review the terms of their contract.

Rose negotiated for an increase in her compensation for each social event since she would have to accommodate his schedule at the expense of her own academic responsibilities.

Hux didn’t mind paying more. Frankly, he was fascinated with this pretty and seemingly delicate Rose.

He couldn’t quite figure her out.

He never asked her why she needed so much money. It wasn’t his business. But he found the situation to be perplexing. Rose had seemed so naïve in certain respects but could be so very fierce in others.

The juxtaposition was captivating.

If he was being completely honest, Hux was enjoying the game that they were both playing. He liked Rose’s sharp tongue and the fact that she probably hated his guts but needed his money.

He wanted to see what Rose would do for his money. After the little holier-than-thou speech she gave him in his office, Hux wanted to prove that she was nothing but a lying hypocrite.

That she too had a price. That money could buy her. 

What he wanted most was to hear Rose admit her defeat.

For her to eat her own words.

Hux wanted his victory.

Soon, it would be his to take.

His thought was interrupted when his office’s door swung open without a prior knock or an announcement of any kind.

His cousin, Benedict Organa Skywalker Solo (29), stormed in and deposited his massive body on the leather chair opposite of Hux’s mahogany work desk.

“Do you mind?” Ben pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand and gestured vaguely toward the blinds with his other hand. He wore a pair of dark shades, a pair of blue jeans and a gray long sleeve shirt that Hux was sure Ben borrowed from his closet. 

Hux opened a drawer and located a remote control. With the press of a button, the motorized blinds rolled down and darkened the office space.

Hux sighed and turned his attention back to his distressed cousin who was now hunched over on the leather chair with his elbows resting on his knees and his hands raking through his dark hair.

Despite growing up on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, the two cousins were almost the same age and they’ve always shared a close relationship with one another. Since Hux moved to New York to take up his VP of Hotel Development position five years prior, the two were now more like brothers.    

Late last night Ben had showed up unannounced at Hux’s bachelor pad, completely hammered, and refused to leave. His cousin was normally the sensible and responsible one so Hux didn’t know what drove the man to drink excessively.

At first, Hux thought that the pressure of being the darling grandchild and heir to their grandfather’s Skywalker Art Empire was weighing him down but boy was he wrong.

Ben Solo was screwed because Ben Solo was Kylo Ren.

“I’m in a little situation,” Ben begrudgingly informed his older cousin.

Hux openly scoffed. He wouldn’t call Ben’s situation little. It was anything but little.

“When will you tell your sugar baby about your wife?” Hux asked his cousin.

There was a pregnant pause in the room. Ben’s whole body went still.

“Or should I say when will you tell Rey Palpatine that you tricked her into marrying you?” 

Ben whipped his head up with his brown eyes widened in what could only be described as utter mortification. “You know about that?”

“Yes, you repeated the story many times last night,” Hux replied. “Do you not remember?”

Given the advanced state of Ben’s inebriation, Hux didn’t know how much of his cousin’s memory retained the events of the previous night. 

“Ahhhhhhhhhh,” Ben resumed raking and pulling on his messy dark hair as he leaned back on the leather chair.

“In vino veritas,” Hux added with a smidgen of sympathy. “I’m afraid it runs in the Skywalker bloodline. You and I both need to watch our alcohol intake.” 

“Ahh … god damn it! What else did I say?” Ben asked. Clearly frustrated. 

“Oh, you went on and on about how you told Rey that she was signing a sugar daddy and sugar baby contract with you when in reality you had set up an actual marriage license with an official and witnesses.” Hux relayed the information that he had learned the previous night back to his cousin in a calm almost detached voice. 

“How you fell in love with your now wife, who doesn’t know that she is – in fact – a wife,” Hux gave his cousin a pointed look, “when she kicked your arse that one time during her birthday celebration at her grandfather’s summer house.” Hux paused to catch his breath.

“How Rey doesn’t remember you because she was intoxicated. And how she flat out refused the arranged marriage between the two of you shortly after the arse kicking incident.” Hux paused again and looked at his cousin.  

“Shall I go on?”

“AHHHHHHHH!!!” Ben roared.  “So you know everything!” Ben got up from the leather chair to pace the office floor. Pulling his hair with both of his hands as he paced.  

“Please rest assured, cousin. Everything I know about your unfortunate self-made hellscape, I learned against my will.” Hux wanted his cousin to know that it was never his intention to pry and that it was Ben who insisted on telling the story.

“Why don’t you just tell Rey the truth? I’m not even sure if your marriage is valid given the circumstances,” Hux then added, “You might want to talk to your lawyer, or maybe Aunt Leia’s team of lawyers since you probably violated a few laws there.”  

Ben expelled his breath in frustration, “Rey really likes Kylo Ren, okay? … She detested Ben Solo. She didn’t want to marry Ben Solo. She ran away from home so she wouldn’t have to marry me … if I tell her … no … I can’t do that,” Ben explained. His anguish on full display.

“I don’t want to lose Rey,” Ben admitted in a low voice. It was barely above a whisper.

“If you don’t tell her the truth soon, you might,” Rey might be angry at his cousin but Hux always thought that when it came to relationships, honesty was the best policy.

Ben fell quiet for a long while. His family along with Rey’s grandfather might think that he married Rey to fulfill their marriage arrangement. That he was being a filial and dutiful son but he knew that wasn’t why he did it.

He was a man in love.

He fell hard for Rey. It was corny to admit it out loud but for him, it was love at first sight. It took him some time to locate her whereabouts after Rey ran away.

He wanted to be with Rey.

If it took being a sugar daddy to keep her near then so be it.

Ben was happy to be Rey’s sugar daddy until the end of time. But he knew he couldn’t lie forever.

That was why he drank so much last night.

He had a guilty conscience.

The lies were getting to him.

He was in a bind. And he didn’t know how to make things right.

“Are you traveling somewhere?” Ben asked when he noticed two large black duffle bags next to Hux’s work desks.

“I’m moving some clothes to my new place that I’ll be sharing with my sugar baby,” Hux said.

An unreadable look crossed Ben’s face as he surveyed the bags and reflected back on his own messy life. Ben was the one that told Rey about Hux’s situation who in turn led Rose to his cousin.   

“And before you ask, no. Unlike you, I didn’t trick my sugar baby into marrying me. We have an actual non-marriage contract.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything,” Ben said defensively.

“You really should just tell Rey the truth,” Hux offered his opinion once more, “And, you should definitely talk to Aunt Leia’s lawyers. I’m fairly certain that your mother retains a different caliber of attorneys. You’re going to need their expertise.”

“Hmm,” Ben grunted his reply and left shortly after. 

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Upper East Side Apartment  

Rose and her sugar daddy came to an agreement that she would spend Monday through Thursday at her dormitory with her current class schedule. Rose breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn’t have to stay in her gilded cage every day.

She had moved some of her things to the new apartment. It was a beautiful place. The high rise building offered a gorgeous view of Central Park. Her sugar daddy and new master and overlord mentioned that he had hired a housekeeper that would come by three times a week.

As she swiped her keycard on the apartment’s door and entered the spacious one-bedroom apartment, Rose realized that she was not alone. Someone was taking a shower in the bathroom.

Must be her overlord, Rose mused.

The past two weeks, they had been meeting regularly. Mostly over meals to discuss the parameters of their contract. Armie was also prepping her for an upcoming social event she was required to attend. 

Rose took in the apartment unit. He could have gotten a much bigger place with the amount of money he was obnoxiously throwing around so the fact that he settled for a one-bedroom … Rose knew it was done precisely to mess with her.

He was playing mind games. 

It was unfortunate for someone so handsome to be so ill-mannered.

Rose could handle his cruel antics. She wasn’t afraid of him. He wasn’t some scary monster from some children’s fairy tales.

No. This Armitage was just a man.

Rose walked into the bedroom and carefully put down her hot pink butterfly pattern travel bag. She saw that he had brought in two duffle bags of his own.

The room was still sparsely decorated with the two of them still working on moving their belongings in. Rose surveyed the bedroom and her eyes landed on a shiny object on top of a blue accent cabinet.

Rose picked up the heart shaped jewelry box. It was something that she thought she would never see again.

Memories from her ‘before’ time rushed at her. So many memories. Some were fuzzy and some were clear. 

No. No, it couldn’t be. Surely.

The jewelry box just looked similar, that was all. Lots of jewelry boxes look pretty much the same. The same design. The same coloring.

There was only one way to be certain.

Rose gently lifted the lid and let out an audible gasp. There it was. Her birth name ‘Rosalia Tico’ boldly engraved in the center of the lid’s underside.

Rose turned the winding key and her heart sped up. The familiar musical melody of Salut d’Amour Op.12 (Love’s Greeting) by Edward Elgar chimed softly.

This heart shaped musical jewelry box was once hers. It was gifted to a dear friend.

How did it end up here … of all places?

Just then the bathroom’s door swung open and Armie emerged with only a small white towel wrapped around his waist. His dark eyes glared in her direction.

He didn’t like people touching his precious things.

“Put the music box down,” He growled.

Rose turned to look at the nearly naked man while still holding the musical box in one hand. Her insufferable sugar daddy was emitting a quiet but menacing energy. But Rose didn’t have time to notice all of that.

There was only one singular thought running through her mind.

Could it be? This man who was now walking toward her. Could it be … him?

Hux kept walking forward and Rose retreated until she felt her back against a wall. He lifted his arms and leaned on the wall effectively caging her between his arms.

“The heart that you’re holding … it belongs to me. Give it back.” Hux kept his voice low but infused it with just enough anger to convey his annoyance and displeasure.

“You shouldn’t touch other people’s things.”

Subconsciously, Rose knew that Hux wanted to unnerve her with his domineering posture. His face was only inches from hers. His larger body looming over her smaller frame. 

But despite all of those things, Rose could still only focus on one thing.

Her first thought was that her Carrot was the wrong color!

His hair used to be bright auburn and not dark brown but then … now that she looked closely. His eyebrows were lighter than his hair.

With only a white towel around his waist, Rose had access to most of his body. He was pale but built with hard lean muscles and Rose was so very curious. She gingerly ran her free hand over his chest looking closely at his chest hair then her hand roamed over his shoulder and slowly caressed down his forearm.

The room was quiet and the air between them stilled.

It was only her cold hand against his flushed warm skin.

She wanted to see. Needed to know – quite desperately if this Armitage was really her Carrot.

The last time she checked, body hair was typically natural. No dye.

It was unmistakable. On his forearm. Red hair. His natural hair color was red.    

And why was her Carrot so misshapen? All bent and twisted.

What had happened to him?

Why did he dye his hair dark brown?

Why did he not use his Hux surname? There were so many questions …

Rose tilted her head up to study his profile. Being so close to him, she breathed in the sandalwood scent of his soap. Rose then realized for the first time that her Carrot had gotten so tall!

Then again, he had always been tall to her … even when they were children.

Rose tenderly cupped his face in her hand. She traced the shape of his angular cheekbones. Taking in his severe silhouette.

She gingerly skimmed her index finger over his eyelashes. Hux blinked a few times and Rose gazed into his forest green eyes.

It is you!

Now she knew why his eyes had seemed so familiar to her.     

Carrot, what happened to you?

How did you turn out this way? My dear friend.

Hux stood rooted to the ground. He had meant to give Rose a stern warning so that she would stay away from his precious heart.

Instead, he was the one unnerved.

Rose was looking at him with recognition in her pretty brown eyes. She was looking at him like she knew him. Like they were old friends. It was a perplexing and yet somehow an intimate moment. 

That was impossible.

Hux knew that they were strangers who just met a few weeks prior. Why would Rose look at him in this way?

Was it a ploy to seduce him? To get close to him. For him to lower his guard? Was this how she got older men to pay her for her company?

She was good. Too good for his liking. 

Hux lifted one hand off the wall to ply the jewelry box from Rose’s hand.

Rose couldn’t believe that Carrot had kept the jewelry box. It has been eighteen years. But then again Rose touched the pendant around her neck that was currently under her shirt … she too had kept his present.

Over the long years apart, Rose had kept his present close to her heart.

The last time she saw Carrot, he was attending her grandparents’ funeral. Both of her paternal grandparents passed away one month after the incident. They died of a broken heart. The pain was too much for their old and battered hearts. They couldn’t accept that their son, daughter-in-law and eldest grandson were now gone.

Rose was seven and Hux was fifteen. Hux had told her that he was studying at a boarding school. That it was a place far away.

And that was the last time they spoke.

Another thought entered her mind. Carrot didn’t remember her or perhaps he didn’t recognize her. They had not seen one another for fifteen years.

Fifteen years was a long time.

The man standing before her was nothing like the boy she remembered from her youth.

Rose didn’t know if Hux would still help her if she revealed her identity to him. Paige still needed the T-cell therapy and Rose didn’t want to take any unnecessary risk.

She wanted to continue their contractual relationship. She would keep her secret and let him keep his – at least for the time being.

Hux didn’t know why Rose was facing him with no fear. Under normal circumstances he would expect a woman to at least show some sort of apprehensions when a man was deliberately invading her personal space.

The woman in front of him exhibited no such behavior.

“Don’t touch my things,” Hux warned and pushed Rose’s hand away from his face.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any harm,” Rose apologized. Her Carrot seemed protective of the jewelry box. It wasn’t her intention to upset him.

Rose didn’t want Hux to be cross with her. She had just found him again and she suddenly realized how much she had missed him.

Without thinking and acting on pure feelings, Rose reached out her arms and embraced the tall man with the wrong hair color.

She rested her head on his warm chest and held him tight.

Because she and Paige were hiding from their uncle, Rose didn’t think that she would ever get to see anyone from her ‘before’ time.

The situation might not be ideal but she was glad to see her Carrot again even when he didn’t recognize her. Even when he was so mean. Rose was still glad.

“I’m really sorry. I won’t do it again. I promise,” Rose conceded and pulled back slightly to look up at Hux’s face.

So much had changed in the fifteen years. What had happened for her dear friend to turn out this way? Hux was almost unrecognizable but Rose believed that his core character remained the same.

That his true heart had not changed.

There was only one way to find out. 

“I think you and I got off on the wrong foot. Can we start again? Let’s be friends,” Rose offered a new beginning to their relationship with a dazzling smile.

Hux was stunned. Completely dumbfounded.

What was Rose doing?

First she had looked at him with familiarity in her pretty brown eyes and then proceeded to touch his body like they were intimate partners. And she now wanted them to be friends?

How preposterous … how absurd.

Did she really think that he would fall for her innocent act?   

Not a chance.

Hux didn’t believe that this little Rose was innocent.

He still wanted his victory.

“No,” Hux replied tersely.

“We’re not friends. You’re my sugar baby. And it will remain that way,” Hux then plied away Rose’s arms still wrapped around his body. He then turned away from Rose and walked toward the bedroom closet. 

His words stung a bit but Rose was determined to find out what had happened to her Carrot. She could be patient. There was no reason to rush anything.

Hux put the music box back on top of the accent cabinet before he opened the bedroom closet ready to dress himself. He noticed that Rose was still standing where he had left her.

“Are you going to stand and watch?” He asked with one raised eyebrow.

“I can watch?” Rose asked innocently.

Hux clenched his jaw. He couldn’t tell if Rose was truly an innocent girl with zero fear of him and zero sense of self-preservation.

Or if she was a professional actress highly skilled in the art of seduction.

“Next time then? Today, I’ll let you have your privacy.” Rose hid a smile and walked out of the bedroom.

Rose discovered that she enjoyed teasing him tremendously. It was the only time Rose saw a glimpse of her old Carrot shining through.  

Her Carrot was still so very mean and his manners were atrocious. But now that she knew who he was … who he really was. 

She was glad that their paths had crossed once more.     

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

Central Park Boathouse

Saturday Brunch

Early November

New York City was dazzling in November. The City was buzzing with energy. It was the beginning of the holiday season with tourists making their pilgrimage to the sacred Times Square traveling from every corner of the known world.

There were places to avoid visiting unless one wanted to experience the headache that came with large crowds.

And so Rose was surprised when Hux took her to the Central Park Boathouse for their usual weekend brunch. The place was not far from their shared apartment but it wasn’t a local hangout spot either.

Sitting across from her sugar daddy at the outdoors dining space surrounded by curated nature, Rose carefully studied Hux’s serious profile.

The weather was unseasonably warm for this time of the year. Hux wore a white long-sleeved collared shirt under a navy blue cashmere sweater vest. His hair parted on one side. It was different from his usual combed back hair. 

The bright mid-day autumn sun brightened his dyed brown hair with highlighted strands of auburn glimmering in the light.

Their pretend relationship reached a two months milestone. Hux had been preoccupied with his work and Rose was busy with her coursework. Midterm exams were brutal but Rose thought she performed decent enough.

Things were looking up on her end. Paige was doing better – at least for the moment. And so, Rose turned her attention to her sugar daddy.

They were working on preparing Rose for her big debut into Hux’s high society. Although Rose and Hux were in a contractual relationship, Hux wanted everyone to believe that the two of them were a genuine couple.

In order to make their relationship believable, there was a lot of work to be done. Rose had a feeling that Hux found the whole experience taxing and tedious.

Sharing personal information with another human being was not an easy task for her sugar daddy.

On the contrary, Rose found the experience exhilarating. It was wonderful to rediscover her childhood friend. It was as if she was getting to know her Carrot all over again. Catching up on the years they were apart.

Rose was enjoying the process – tremendously.

With her elbows resting on the table, Rose linked her hands together and placed them under her chin. Her head tilted slightly.

“What is your favorite color?”

Hux looked up from his tablet. “What?”

“I want to know what color is your favorite.” Rose repeated her question to a pair of puzzling green eyes.

“I failed to see why you would need to know,” Hux said dismissively.

“Well … if you want people to believe that I’m your girlfriend,” Rose then paused for a short moment before continuing, “it’s just something that a girlfriend would know.”

It was difficult to read Hux’s steel expression. He silently stared at Rose for some time contemplating his choices. Disclosing personal information willingly was a new experience for him.

Growing up with an absent father who also was verbally and physically abusive, Hux had learned early on that the less his father knew about him, the better off he’d be. Personal information could and would be used against him. So it should be closely guarded.

But Rose had a point. He was never in a serious relationship due to his personal situation but he thought that under normal circumstances a girlfriend would be privy to such information.

“Dark blue.”

“That wasn’t so hard was it?” Rose smiled at him, clearly pleased with his answer.

“What’s yours?” Hux asked.

Since he wanted to project a genuine relationship, he supposed he should know his girlfriend’s favorite color.

Rose was surprised at Hux’s question but only just a little. “I like red. Bright red.” She thought about the question a moment longer and added, “I like bright colors. So anything bright would do as well.”

Hux nodded his head in a silent acknowledgement and Rose resumed her meal. The two continued their conversation on the upcoming social event. Rose could tell that Hux was anxious.

Her Carrot didn’t give any outward indication that he was nervous but after spending two months with him, Rose had noticed that Hux had a habit of clenching his jaw and fists when he was worried about something.

Rose had learned so many new things about her sugar daddy.

For one thing her Carrot was passionate about his work. She discovered that Hux took his work responsibilities seriously and he particularly enjoyed expanding the hotel brand into new markets.

For another, Hux was not totally heartless.

The social function that Rose was supposed to attend next week was a fundraising event for a sponsored art program serving children from disadvantaged background.

With all his talks about money buying people and his general lacks of empathy, Rose didn’t think that Hux would be the type to have compassion for the less fortunate. It came as a complete surprise when she learned that Hux was one of the main sponsors of the art program.

Despite their contractual relationship, Hux and Rose had to truly get to know one another in the past two months. The success of their pretend relationship hinged on the performance from the both of them.

As such, Hux had to rein in his antagonistic personality. The six-month contract would be a useless piece of paper if Rose Kamino looked at him with complete disdain instead of the adoration of a loved one. 

Hux hadn’t forgotten about his desired victory. He very much still wanted Rose to admit that money could buy anything and everything. But he was a patient man. He could wait. There would be time for that later … Hux could play the long game.

For now, he was borderline desperate for their sham relationship to look and feel real to onlookers. As such, Hux had to be civil to his partner in crime by offering adequate courtesy and politeness.   

In turn, Hux found his sugar baby to be a fascinating creature. He wasn’t sure what to expect when he went in search of a sugar baby but he wasn’t expecting someone like Rose Kamino.

Rose was headstrong and obstinate.

Rose was intelligent and passionate about her field of study.

Rose was compassionate and kind.

Rose was an optimist … always looking at things from a positive perspective. She saw the good in people and never fail to find good things to say about everyone. 

In rare moments when Hux involuntarily let his guards down, he felt blinded by the light from Rose’s bright aura.

It didn’t matter to him why Rose needed so much money. Why she needed a sugar daddy was her business and not his. But that was before he got to know her.

Now … he could admit that he was curious. Very curious, indeed.      

With all the money she was getting from him, Rose didn’t go on a spending spree. He didn’t see new designer clothes. There were no new shiny baubles. No new handbags or shoes … there was no new material purchase from her end.

Her smartphone and laptop were older models – not the latest technology on the market. 

Hux didn’t know where the money went … what was she spending the money on he didn’t know.

Then he caught himself.

Why should he care where Rose was spending her money? It was hers to do with as she pleased.

He shouldn’t care … shouldn’t get attach … shouldn’t develop feelings. Their relationship would end in four months.

Hopefully by then his father would have secured a business deal with the Palpatine clan. With the business deal signed, sealed, and delivered, Hux would no longer need a ‘girlfriend’ and then they both could go their separate ways … back to their own lives.

He really shouldn’t care but …

Despite knowing that he shouldn’t, the feeling wouldn’t go away.

His curiosity rose to the fore and no matter no matter how many times he squashed the idea, it wouldn’t leave him.

And so, Hux decided that he would contact his private investigator for a brand new case. It wouldn’t be intrusive since he didn’t know what Rose was doing with the money. For all he knew, she could be using the money on illicit activities.

It was his prerogative to investigate. Hux didn’t want to indirectly fund a dangerous criminal. With this logic, he convinced himself that his decision was the right thing to do.     

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Geonosis General Hospital

Department of Hematology and Oncology   

Monday

The mid-November weather was temperamental. The arctic chills of the approaching winter could be felt in the air but the warmth of the autumn sun lingered on … refusing to surrender.

The volatile climate reflected Rose’s own inner turmoil.

There was a lot on her mind. Her relationship with her sugar daddy was improving. Hux was less outwardly hostile and they were slowly learning about one another. They spent the weekend picking Rose’s outfit and rehearsing potential scenarios for the upcoming social event.

School was going well. The semester would soon be over and with only the Spring Semester left, Rose needed to think about her future career. She should look into getting some internship experience.

And there was her sister’s illness. Cancer weighed heavily on her mind. Rose felt a deep cut in her heart with each failed treatment. The bleeding had been on-going for so long that she had forgotten what hope felt like.

It was a wonderful feeling to have hope. The doctors had told them that although T-Cell therapy was risky, the initial prognosis looked good. Paige was admitted to the hospital to prep for the T-Cell therapy.

They were hopeful for a treatment session to be ready in the next week or so. Two weeks prior, the doctors had collected Paige’s T-Cells. The process took five hours and Paige was exhausted from the procedure but there was a new lightness to her mood.

Things were looking good.  

Hope was alive.

Rose entered Paige’s room on the fifth floor of the hospital. Despite her frequent hospital visits, Rose never got used to the sterile scent that saturated the air.

Paige was given a single room due to her medical requirements. The whirling and clicking sounds of the mechanical machines chimed softly. Her sister was lying in bed with her eyes closed.

Rose took a moment to look at Paige’s frail form. Her normally robust sister was long gone. Cancer had taken so much from the both of them.

Before cancer, Paige was the athletic one between the two of them. Her body was now paper thin. Her nails were brittle from previous chemotherapy sessions. There were prominent dark shadows under Paige’s brown eyes.    

But even with a cancer ridden body, Paige was a fighter and Rose refused to give up on her sister.

Not when they still have unexplored treatments left to try.

Hope persevered.

Paige opened her eyes as Rose sat down on a chair close to the hospital bed and she gave a weak smile as a greeting.

“You’ve come to see me again so soon?” Paige asked. Rose just visited her a few days ago.

“Of course I’ve come, Pae. Your T-Cell treatment is happening soon and I want to be here with you for the prep.” Rose said and she returned a smile. 

“But what about your school? I don’t want my treatment to interfere with …”

“Hush now.” Rose cut off her sister with a wave of her hand. “My midterm exams are all done and I just told you that I want to be here with you.”

Paige didn’t know if Rose was telling the truth. Cancer was a burden to the both of them but as an older sister, Paige wanted Rose to also live her life. It wasn’t fair that Rose had to take on so many responsibilities because Paige was ill.

She didn’t know how Rose came up with so much money for the T-Cell therapy. Her younger sister had told her that she got a promotion at work and that her new boss was a really nice man.

“Alright,” Paige conceded and dropped the matter.         

“How is your new job? Don’t push yourself too hard. I worry about you, Ro. What with your studies and with me being sick,” Paige asked. She didn’t want Rose to overwork.

Rose shook her head, “Oh, everything is fine, Pae-Pae.” Rose then gave her sister another reassuring smile. 

“Like I told you before, my new boss has been very understanding. He can be demanding but I have everything under control. I used the advanced payment from my salary to pay for the T-Cell treatment. There is nothing to worry about, Pae.”      

“You’re not doing anything illegal … are you?” Paige asked with her brown eyes narrowed. She was mostly joking but with the amount of money Rose told her, it was hard to not be suspicious.  

Rose gave out a soft laugh, “Of course not!”

The two sisters chatted for a short time before it became evident that Paige was feeling fatigued and needed to rest.

Rose promised to visit again soon. She leaned down and kissed Paige’s forehead before she departed for the day.

Today was a good visit. Paige hadn’t looked any better. She was still critically ill but there was a glimmer of hope in the very air they breathed.

It was the first time in a very long time that Rose dared to believe that Paige would pull through.       

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Moraband Metropolitan Museum of Art

Charity Ball

Mid-November

Saturday Evening  

Rose’s big debut into high society finally arrived. The fundraiser event was held at Moraband Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was a short drive from their shared apartment.

The private black-tie event was moderate in size with only a few hundreds attending. Her sugar daddy informed her that his father, Brendol, and business associates would be in attendance and that she was to stick to the scripts they had spent two months preparing.

The car stopped in front of the Museum and Hux was the first to exit. Hux quickly adjusted his suit before he turned around and offered his assistance to his lady still sitting inside the car.

Without hesitation, Rose took Hux’s hand and gracefully stepped out of the vehicle. Hux took in the breathtaking image that was his pretend partner. Rose wore a long sleeveless red gown with high collar.

The a-line satin gown had a few layers of thin tulle ruffles that cascaded down to one side of the dress. It was not a show-stopper dress but it was stunning all the same.

With a matching red clutch in her hand, the two made eye contact and Rose gave a small nod before they both headed inside the venue.

The event was held inside a large art gallery with round dining tables spreadout but with enough room for attendees to admire the artworks.

Rose took in the scene before her. It was her first social function since she and Paige had fled from their uncle. Many of the guests seemed to know one another.  They stood in small circles catching up with friends and making small talks with new acquaintances.

Rose recognized a few faces in the crowd from her preparation. They were Brendol’s business associates and their partners.

The event was unfolding according to plan – for now. Hux excused himself for a few moments before he returned to usher Rose in the direction of his father.

“Father, I’d like you meet Rose Kamino.” Hux made the initial introduction.

Brendol gave her a cursory glance. She must have passed the test because Brendol didn’t question her relationship with Hux but instead he made an effort at a conversation.

“And what do you do, Rose?”

“I study mechanical engineering with a special focus on green energy at Coruscant University. I’ll be graduating in the spring.” Rose dutifully answered.

Brendol gave a small nod. “Coruscant University? Wonderful school. I’m good friend with Enric Pryde. He’s on the Board of Trustee there if I recall correctly.”   

“It’s good to meet you, Rose.” Brendol gave another nod in her direction before he turned to his son. “Since it is Rose’s first time at our social event, you should introduce her to our friends so that she would feel more at ease at our next event.” 

“Yes, father,” Hux replied.

At the same moment, two business associates approached. Brendol introduced Rose to them and after a few exchanges of pleasantry Brendol and his business associates moved on.    

Hux let out a deep exhale. His father didn’t say much but the fact that he wanted Hux to introduce Rose to people meant that Brendol bought the performance.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The rest of the evening passed by uneventfully. Speeches were made and dinner was served. As the social function wind down, some guests had already left the venue but a good amount of guests were still mingling in the art gallery.

Hux had excused himself to attend to some business. In the short time that she was attending the function, Rose had made a new friend. Tallie Lintra, a tall blonde in pale coral chiffon dress, attended the social event with her family. Her father’s company was one of the key donors to the Art Program.

Tallie was only two years older than Rose. She graduated from Coruscant three years prior and so the two struck up a conversation. As they were admiring an oil-on-canvas painting, a slightly older man greeted Tallie.

“Hello my dear cousin,” Edrison Peavey gave his young cousin a quick greeting kiss on her cheek.

“Hello Edy,” Tallie smiled at her older cousin.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your pretty new friend?”

“Oh! This is Rose Kamino.” Tallie made the introduction. “Rose, this is Edy Peavey, my cousin.”

“Nice to meet you, Edy.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Rosie.”

“May I ask why a beautiful lady such as yourself is standing alone with my young cousin? I only asked because if you were my partner this evening, I would never be able to leave your side.” 

“Edy! Stop flirting with my new friend,” Tallie playfully hit Edrison’s arm and gave out a small laugh.

Rose didn’t think too much of the situation. Edy had seemed like a decent guy. Rose thought that his corny pick up line was meant to be a joke.

“I’m not here alone,” Rose said.

“Oh?” Edy cocked his head to one side.

“I’m here with Armitage Hux.”

“I see,” Edy replied quietly.

Rose thought that his tone had changed with the mention of Hux and Edy’s blue eyes were now looking at her in a new but calculating manner.

A server stopped by to offer a drink selection from his tray but Tallie shook her head and politely declined the red and white wines.

“I don’t like wine but I would love a glass of champagne,” Tallie made the comment after the server departed.

“Let me get that for you Tallie. Would you like something to drink Rosie?” Edy inquired.

“Nothing for me, thank you.”

Edy disappeared for a few moments before returning with three flutes of champagne. Rose wasn’t planning on drinking tonight but thought that it would be impolite to refuse the drink so she accepted the champagne flute and simply held it in her hand.

The three of them exchanged simple pleasantries and commented on the impressionist paintings in the gallery.

Rose looked past Edy and saw that her sugar daddy had re-entered the art gallery. He was on the far side of the gallery when a tall willowy brunette in a black bodycon gown grabbed his arm and rested her perfectly coiffured head on Hux’s shoulder.

Who was the brunette? And more importantly, why was she clinging to her man?

A blinding rage of jealousy coursed through her body. At the moment it didn’t matter that she was Hux’s sugar baby.

It didn’t matter that the two of them were in a contractual pretend relationship.

All Rose could see was her Carrot with another woman. Her senses were screaming at her to ply the woman’s hands away from her Carrot and to claw the brunette’s eyes out.

Rose wanted to pull on the brunette’s perfectly styled hair.  

Since she couldn’t do any of the above, Rose let out a deep sigh and downed the flute of champagne in her hand.  

She couldn’t watch anymore. The scene hurt too much.

“Pardon me. I need to use the ladies’ room.” And with that Rose walked away from her new friend, Tallie and her cousin, Edy.

Instead of the ladies’ room, Rose made her way to the opposite side of the gallery and stepped out onto a balcony. She breathed in the fresh night air but the visceral pain lingered on.

Carrot was hers.

Rose knew that she and Hux were not in a real relationship. That they were just pretending. That she was his sugar baby … she was just in it for the money … to pay for Paige’s medical treatment.     

She knew that Hux didn’t remember her. It didn’t matter that they were childhood friends. It didn’t mean anything. She didn’t have a hold on him.

Hux probably moved on with his life.

She knew deep in her heart that Hux was free to date other women … he was free to sleep with other women … that he could marry another … NO … NO … NO

It all felt so wrong!

When had she started to think of him as hers?

Why didn’t Hux push that woman away?         

If Armie was to marry anyone … it should be … it should be …

“Now sweetie, what are you doing here all by yourself?”

Rose’s inner monologue was rudely interrupted. She turned her head and saw that Edy was now on the balcony with her. His short blonde hair ruffled slightly from the night wind.

With the guests thinning out, they were the only occupants on the balcony.

“If you don’t mind, I just need some time alone,” Rose replied and turned her attention back to the New York crowds below the balcony.

She really wanted Hux to push the brunette away. Was she someone special to him? Were they in a prior relationship?

Rose was startled when Edy stood behind her with one arm wrapped around mid-section and his other hand parted her long dark hair to one side before placing a kiss on her exposed shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Rose asked.

She tried to push the blonde man away with her elbows but her body suddenly felt sluggish. Rose felt weak and drowsy.

“It should be obvious what I’m doing,” Edy placed another kiss on her nape. He had put GHB in Rose’s champagne earlier. The liquid ecstasy should start working about now.

“Stop!” Rose protested. She was feeling so dizzy.

“Now, don’t play coy with me, love. I don’t know where Naberrie picked up a lovely girl like you. But since he’s too busy to take care of you at the moment … why don’t you play with me instead, hmm? I can show you a good time.” Edy whispered the demeaning words in her ear.

To any passerby, they looked like a pair of lovers embracing on the balcony.

It felt wrong. Repulsive. Nauseating  

Rose didn’t want to be in Edy’s embrace but she was too dizzy to think properly. She couldn’t understand half the things he said to her with her sluggish brain.   

“No. I don’t want to,” Rose tried again to shrug out of the blonde’s man arms but failed.

Rose didn’t want to cause a major scene but she was contemplating screaming for help. Before she could do so, Edy was roughly pulled away from her.

Hux grabbed the shorter blonde man by the collar of his dress shirt and landed a direct hit to Edy’s face.

“Get your dirty paws away from her,” Hux clenched his jaw. His seething resentment was on full display. Edy’s reputation as a sadistic playboy was well-known in their circles. There were rampant rumors that Edy liked to drug his bed partners.

They didn’t exactly run in the same circles but they were acquainted with one another. 

Edy unceremoniously landed on the balcony’s floor. His expression confused as he slowly picked himself off the cold floor. His face burned from the hit.  

Armitage Naberrie Hux never gave much thought to the partners he brought with him to social functions. Previous arm candies were mostly for show and were fair games. Hux never claimed exclusive right to any of his previous women.

So … Edy was … perplexed. What caused the unexpected outburst of anger?

What gives? Edy didn’t know.          

“Armitage.”

“Edrison.”

“What was that for? I was just having a little fun with the little lady. You never did care about the women you bring with you before.” 

Hux went deadly quiet for a moment. He sent murderous glare in the blonde man’s direction before he gave a low growl.

“I don’t know about before. But if you lay a hand on Rose again, don’t say that I didn’t warn you.”

Rose couldn’t quite process what was happening between the two men. The sounds around her felt distorted. Her head was spinning and she felt nauseated.

“Armie?” Rose called out and got Hux’s full attention. “I want to go home.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Upper East Side Apartment

Hux was still angry. Very angry.

He should have landed a few more blows to the bastard’s ugly face. The image of Rose trying to extricate herself from Edy’s grubby hands was seared into his mind.

It was his fault. He should have warned Rose about questionable characters at the event. But more importantly, it was his fault because he failed to protect her.

Hux was delayed by an old family friend, Bazine Netal.

The Netal family came from old money. They made their fortunes from oil but in recent years he had heard talks that the family was having money problems.

The oil industry was a competitive field and it was becoming unpopular with the general population.

He had a strong feeling that Bazine wanted to be more than friends. Hux tolerated the young brunette’s flirty behaviors and her overly familiarity because they were old friends. He never saw Bazine as a potential romantic partner because he knew what the Netal family’s end goal was.

Marriage was the last thing Hux wanted.

Earlier tonight Bazine had approached him in the art gallery. It wasn’t out of character. She wanted them to have dinner together. It was an old request. An on-going request. But still it took some time for him to excuse himself.

Then he saw Edrison with his Rose.

His visions turned crimson red.

During the short ride home, Rose insisted on hugging him for warmth. Hux had shrugged out of his black suit and draped it over Rose’s shoulders to cover her sleeveless arms but her shivering did not stop.

Rose kept saying that she couldn’t see straight and that she felt dizzy.

Hux couldn’t be sure but he had a strong hunch that Rose was drugged.

The chauffeur opened the passenger’s door once they arrived in front of their apartment building. Hux bridal-carry Rose through the lobby and up to their one-bedroom since Rose was drifting in and out of consciousness.

He wanted to beat Edrison to a pulp.

Hux gently laid Rose down on their bed. He was about to shower and changed into his night clothes when Rose opened her eyes and pulled him down on top of her with her arms linking behind his shoulders.

“You saved me from that man tonight. Thank you,” Rose’s words slurred slightly.

“Yeah.” Hux could only utter one word. Rose’s nearness was doing something strange to his brain.

“You should sleep. I think Edrison put something in your drink.”

“Hmm. Something in my drink,” Rose mumbled the words back but her brain didn’t quite register the severity of the situation.

“Sleep,” Hux repeated the word firmly and he made a move to get off the bed.

But before he could move, Rose pulled him down once more and proceeded to trap him on the bed by climbing on top of him.

Rose didn’t know what was wrong with her body. She felt her heart boomeranging in her chest and she felt too warm in her own skin.

She felt flushed and she wanted something else …

All she knew was that Hux had come to her defense. He had rescued her from the blonde creep.

Armie was here with her and not with the beautiful brunette who was pressing her willowy body against her Carrot.

“Hmmm. I don’t want you to go. Don’t leave me.”

“You’re not making sense. You’re not thinking clearly.”

“Noooo!” Rose whined. “I know whaaaat I’m doooing!” Rose snapped back. “Why are you sooo meannn to meee!”

She gripped his jaw in her hand and her eyes focused on his lips.

Then she kissed him.

The something else that Rose wanted was … Armitage Hux.

Rose didn’t know how to go about doing this. Had never done it before with anyone. But she wanted to do it with her Carrot.

Hux was hers.

She didn’t want to let him go.

Rose felt oddly liberated.

It was true that Rose was dizzy and the room was spinning just a little but she felt free. She wanted to put her hands on the man lying under her and for him to put his hands on her.

Yes, she wanted to feel his touch.

The kiss deepened before Hux abruptly pushed her shoulders up and ended the kiss.

“No.” Hux said firmly. He surprised himself with the amount of self-control he was exerting given the situation.

Rose’s brown eyes were glassy and her lips were red and swollen from the kiss. She huffed out a frustrated breath and sat up on the bed. She reached behind to unzip her red dress and roughly pulled it over her head. Her bra soon followed.

“Yes.”

Rose giggled then climbed back on top of the stunned Hux and her mouth was back on his. She tried to get rid of his dress shirt but her brain was so fuzzy. Her head felt heavy. She wanted to feel his warm skin against her own flushed skin.

Her core was soaking wet. Rose wanted this man who was embracing her. There was a desperate and primal need in her that Rose didn’t have a name for.

It was an all-consuming need.  

She didn’t know what was happening except it felt right. Rose just wanted Hux’s hands on her body. She wanted to feel him everywhere. Wanted him inside her.

The next thing she knew, she was now on her back with Hux looming above her. He parted her legs and she felt the tip of his shaft at her needy core then she felt pain.

In her cloudy mind, Rose registered some more discomfort but it was soon forgotten. Replaced by a new thrilling sensation.

It felt good to be held by him.

She felt safe in his arms.  

Rose didn’t remember much the first time they had sex. Her second time she remembered perfectly.

It was in the hours before dawn. The late autumn sky was still dark. Some time in the night, Hux reached for her and she welcomed his advances.

Hux was gentle and forceful in equal measures. He tenderly caressed her body as he firmly thrust into her. His desperate pounding was matched by her own sense of urgency.

Her mind was no longer fuzzy.

She wasn’t naïve to believe that they were now a real couple just because they had sex. But it didn’t matter.

If Rose only had four months with Hux then she would cherish the times they shared. She would treasure every kiss and every touch. 

She wouldn’t ask for more than he was willing to offer. They no longer lived in the same world. Rose was still hiding from her uncle. There were things Rose couldn’t tell him. She told herself that she just needed his money to pay for Paige’s medical treatment. She wouldn’t ask for more than that.

Her heart ached deeply when she imagined Hux with another woman. But Hux wasn’t hers to keep. Rose had no claim on him. When their time together came to an end, Rose would have no other choice but to let him go.

The Next Morning

Hux lay on his side looking at the sleeping form of his sugar baby. Rose’s peaceful sleep was in contrast to his own emotional state.  

Something must be very wrong with him.

Rose was under some sorts of influence. Her mind was in an altered state. But his wasn’t. He had one glass of wine at the social event. His mind was supposed to be clear.

He could have stopped her … should have stopped her … but he didn’t.

He was too far gone to stop himself. He didn’t even use protection and that was a first for him.

If Hux really wanted to stop Rose, he would have done so. The truth was that a part of him wanted her. A big part of him wanted this between them.

And so he let it happened. He didn’t do anything to prevent it from happening. If he were a more honorable man he would have stopped himself but he was not.   

Hux felt something for the small female sleeping next to him. It was something foreign. A feeling that he wasn’t prepare to face.

These feelings were simply a high he felt because they had slept together. They couldn’t be real.

Hux knew he wasn’t capable of feeling love.

It wasn’t possible.  

But what about the feelings he had when Edrison had his filthy hands on Rose?

No. Hux wouldn’t think about that.

Although he hadn’t slept at all since they got back from the social event, he was surprisingly clear headed. He had to return to his old self.

Hux wouldn’t let these new foreign feelings out.

It was fine that they slept together. Nothing was wrong with sugar babies having sex with their sugar daddies. They could continue their contractual relationship.

He just needed to lock his feelings away.

Nothing changed between them.

Hux was using Rose as a prop to please his father and Rose was with him for his money.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

A Few Hours Later

Rose woke up and felt a mild pounding behind her eyes. Her head wasn’t the only thing that ached. Her body felt sored but not in an unpleasant way.

Hux was nowhere to be seen. The apartment was quiet. It was a beautiful Sunday mid-morning and Rose stretched her arms before she headed into the bathroom.

Belatedly, Rose realized that they hadn’t used any protection last night. She would have to get a Plan B later today.

She wouldn’t mind having Hux’s baby but knew it deep in her soul that it wasn’t the right time. There were too many things happening and she wouldn’t be able to take care of a child right now.  

A small smile touched the corner of Rose’s mouth as she recalled their lovemaking sessions from last night. Rose wouldn’t lie to herself. She was in love with her sugar daddy. It was fine if Hux didn’t return her feeling. She was contented enough to love him in secret all on her own.

After getting dressed, Rose walked out of the bedroom and into the main living room and open kitchen. She saw Hux sitting on one the tufted wingback chairs in the living room area with his legs crossed.

He wore a solid black cotton tshirt and khaki pants. 

There was a glass of brandy on the low table next to a large white envelope. Rose thought it was too early in the day for a stiff drink but she didn’t think too much of it.  

“Morning,” Rose offered a polite greeting.

Hux took a sip from his glass before he spoke. “You did well last night. My father and his business associates bought our sham relationship.”

“Oh. That’s good,” Rose replied.

Hux then took a stack of bills from the large white envelope. He walked slowly toward Rose.

“Here’s your reward.”

He then threw the stack of bills in the air. Money was raining down around her like birthday confetti. Hux tossed another stack of bills at her and they hit her stomach before they fell and pooled around her feet.

There were hundreds of bills in different currencies. She recognized dollars, euros, sterling pounds, francs, yens, and wons among others that she didn’t know.

Hux’s face was unreadable. Expressionless.

“As promised. They’re your payment for the social event last night. Oh. And since I fucked you last night, that’s another ten.”

It was cruel. Hux was well aware of his appalling behavior but he had to do it. Their contractual relationship was purely business. He had to remind Rose that he was not a good man.

That he wouldn’t offer her anything more than money. The sex was casual. It didn’t mean anything to him. Shouldn’t mean anything to her either.

Rose didn’t say anything. Hux was half expecting Rose to slap him in the face. To curse him out. To call him names. Terrible names. He deserved them all.

But she didn’t.

Rose just blankly stared at him. She was shocked and … hurt. There were unshed tears in her big round eyes.  

Had he gone too far with his antics?

Rose looked at the bills scattered on the floor of the apartment then she crouched down to carefully pick them up.

Biting her bottom lip and wiping away her tears with the back of her hand, Rose couldn’t believe the amount of money around her.

Hux’s behavior was crude but given his horrendous manners, Rose wasn’t really surprise.

The tears in her eyes were happy tears. Rose could now afford to pay for Paige’s treatment with enough cushions for a rainy day.  

She was not ashamed to be on her hands and knees picking up her hard earned money. Rose looked up at Hux. His severe face was stone cold.

“I prefer the dollar and if possible a direct deposit but cash is fine … for now.”

If Hux thought that he could humiliate her by throwing money at her … well … Rose wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

She knew what being a sugar baby meant. She wasn’t too blind to see what kind of relationship they were in.

“It seems that I am right,” Hux said as he watched Rose picked up the bills he deliberately threw at her.

“About what?” Rose asked.

“That money could buy anything and everything,” Hux clarified.

So they were back to his pessimistic outlook on life, Rose thought to herself. But now that she thought about it. Hux wasn’t completely wrong.            

“You’re wrong in thinking that money could buy everything. But you are right that everyone has a price,” Rose said.

“Tell me yours. Is it Money? Fame? Youth? Status? Security?” Hux asked in return.

The fact that Rose admitted to having a price was a first step to his victory. He wanted to know her price. Once he paid her price then he would be proven right. That there was nothing special about Rose Kamino.

It would prove that Rose could be bought just like everyone else.

Hux would have his victory.

Rose shook her head then walked up to stand in front of Hux. She clutched a stack of bills in one hand and placed her other palm over his chest.

Rose felt the steady rhythms of his black heart. “If you have to ask, then you can’t pay the price.”

Hux scoffed in disbelief, “Surely you jest. I can give you anything you ask.”

Rose shook her head again and let out a soft laugh, “You don’t understand, Armie. You can’t pay the price because what I want from you cannot be bought with money. You cannot give something that you don’t have.”

“Tell me what it is then … your price.”

“Why does it matter?” Rose tilted her head to look up at his forest green eyes. “I’ve been with you these past few months. I know that you don’t have it.”   

Because what she wanted most from Armitage Hux was his black heart. Rose wouldn’t deny that she desired his love but she knew that Hux would never give it to her willingly.  

Rose knew that the love she so desired did not exist in his black heart. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

Arkanis-Hays Minor International Holdings Inc. Headquarter

Hayanis Hotel 

Department of Engineering 

Early January

Rose smoothed her black dress and soft beige blazer jacket in the ladies’ room. Rose smiled. Her reflection was of a young professional woman. The soft lighting complimented her skin tone and hid the dark shadows under her brown eyes.

Rose took out a concealer from her small heart shaped makeup bag and applied a small amount. It would be poor form to show up to her new internship post looking utterly exhausted on the very first day.

There was only one semester left and Rose wanted some work experience before her graduation in May.

She had sent out a few applications and as luck would have it, the Hayanis Hotel offered her a six-month internship with their engineering department.

Rose was ecstatic. Hayanis Hotel was a premier luxury hotel with exciting cutting edge technology and the highly coveted internship would greatly boost her resume.

There was only one problem … Hayanis Hotel was where Rose’s sugar daddy work and there was a slight chance that they would run into one another during working hours.

But then again, the Hotel Headquarter was a massive building and the engineering department was nowhere near the executive office suites.

Yes, it should be fine.

Rose reminded herself that she was simply overthinking things … again.       

Rose returned her attention back to her professional attire and looked at her reflection in the mirror one final time. January weather in the city was biting cold and so Rose arrived early in order to change into her business casual outfit for her internship.  

Once Rose entered Poe Dameron’s office she was met with an enthusiastic greeting. Her supervisor then introduced the other two interns, Finn and Wexley.

The field was dominated by men but Rose was happy to learn that Poe Dameron’s superior was a fierce woman. Amilyn Holding was a highly sought after architectural engineer.

While Dameron was the head engineer of the New York office, Amilyn Holdo was head of the engineering division of the entire company.  

Rose considered her first day a success.

It was mostly an orientation style day and Rose learned a lot about the different kind of works that the engineering department was responsible for. Her fellow interns were friendly and she was looking forward to working with them both.   

Nothing was out of the ordinary and the work day was almost over.

Rose was walking back from the IT floor and was about to head back to the interns’ workspace when she felt a strong grip on her upper arm. Startled, Rose whipped her head up to find a familiar pair of pale green eyes.

There was only a slight chance of encounter but alas … slight was still not zero.

“What are you doing here?” Hux practically grind out each word as he roughly dragged her inside one of the empty conference rooms and slammed the door shut.

“I’m a new intern here. With the engineering department, if you must know,” Rose answered calmly despite being pinned against a wall.

They were now locked in a staring contest with neither side backing down. Rose could see annoyance and a tiny glimpse of anger in Hux’s pale green eyes.

He was so close to her. Rose could hear his steady heartbeats quickened with irritation.  

“Do I not pay you enough?” His words were dripping with disdain and indignation. As a sugar daddy Hux was supposed to be a provider. There was absolutely no need for Rose to work. What would people think if they knew his sugar baby had to work outside of their relationship?  

“If you want more money just say the word. I can give you everything you want,” Hux’s gaze shifted from Rose’s brown eyes to her pink lips and he unconsciously darted out his tongue to wet his own. 

He was definitely not thinking about kissing his sugar baby.

His concentration was suffering as of late. He needed to focus but it was difficult … what with her pretty brown eyes and her tempting pink lips … they just begged to be kissed.  

Despite their barbed exchange and his cruel words, Hux and Rose continued their intimate relations.

Despite the tensions … or maybe because of the tensions, they were still sleeping together. But now instead of throwing money at Rose, Hux now write a check for her in the morning after each intimate encounter.  

“You know,” Rose attempted to shrug out of Hux’s firm grip on her upper arms, “there is life for me after our contract agreement ends.”

End?

For some reasons the mentions of the end of their contracted relationship annoyed him. It was maddening. He didn’t want to think about it … didn’t want to hear about it …

Why was Rose so keen on moving on from him?                                          

“So eager to whore yourself to the next highest bidder, I see,” Hux said in a sardonic tone. A smug smile tugged at one corner of his mouth.

Something inside Rose snapped and she lifted her right hand up and slapped Hux’s face … hard.

Rose knew that Hux was taunting her.

Knew that he was baiting her … but still she couldn’t control her reaction.

The slap was numbing. Hux felt the sting on his left cheek radiated to the rest of his face. Rose didn’t hold anything back. Hux knew that she had wanted him to hurt just as he knew his words had hurt her.

There was a hint of hurt behind the defiant light that shone behind her bright brown eyes.

But there was no trace of fear.

And still … Rose didn’t move away from his firm grips. Her breathing was labored from her heightened emotional state but she didn’t make a move to get away from him.

And so just a few seconds after the face slap Hux closed the gap between them and crushed Rose against the white wall of the conference room at the same time he leaned down and kissed her.

It was a forceful kiss full of longing and hunger mixed in with desperation.

Hux didn’t quite know why he wanted so desperately to kiss the petite woman before him. He just knew that he wanted her against his more rational thinking … against his better judgment.

As for Rose, her desperation was of a different kind. 

Rose didn’t want to believe that her Carrot had turned out to be an uncouth and cruel monster of a man. She was desperate to hold on to the memory of her gentle and caring Carrot.

Hux was confusing her.

At times he was civil, cordial even. And then seemingly out of nowhere he would turn ever so cruel.

But even knowing of his cruel streaks Rose still wanted him. She gave in and leaned into the kiss. His leather and sandalwood scent felt familiar and oddly comforting.

For a solid minute Rose took refuge in their shared kiss.

Everything else simply faded away.  

She could pretend that her old Carrot was back and everything was going to be okay.

Then it slowly dawned on Rose that they were in a conference room at a public workplace. Hux’s spiteful words rang in her ears. Was that how he viewed their relationship? Was that how he saw her … as nothing but a whore? 

Rose abruptly pulled away from their kiss, shoved at his chest and lifted her hand to slap him again.   

“Don’t talk to me like that again,” her words were stilted as Rose was still out of breath from the kiss earlier. “I’m not going to be a sugar baby forever. And in order to find work in my field of study, I need to have some kind of meaningful work experience.” 

Hux took a step backward and touched the corner of his lips with one fisted hand.

What Rose said made sense. The work experience here would boost her resume and help with future employment.

But damn it … Hux didn’t want Rose to work.   

“I’ll double you allowance if you agree to end your internship today. What would people say if they knew that my sugar baby had to go out and work in addition to serving me,” Hux made his offer calmly. His self-control was surprising even to him.

“Then it’s a good thing that only a handful of people know about the real nature of our relationship. I wouldn’t advertise it to the world if I were you. It would be a nightmare to explain it to HR,” Rose retorted as she fixed her outfit and straightened the loose strands of her hair.

Then she quietly walked passed Hux and made her way to the conference room’s door. As she reached for the door handle Rose turned back to face her sugar daddy. 

“Nothing in the contract stipulates that I cannot work. I’m going to complete this internship. And you are just going to have to deal with it.” Rose made sure to enunciate the last three words slowly but forcefully and with that Rose walked out of the conference room back to the engineering department leaving Hux slightly stunned.

Hux let out a soft laugh.

He knew Rose was ballsy but now she was pushing back and making demands and … and dear god … he liked it. He wanted to kiss her again. No, he wanted to do more than kiss.

Quite unfortunately that would have to wait.

Hux liked her fighting spirit and the look of her so exasperated … all because of him. He especially liked the flushed pink tone on her cheeks.    

Rose was fearless and for someone like him who grew up with pain and fear as two constant companions, her fearlessness was a form of strength that he was helpless to resist.   

She was a flame that hypnotized him.

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A Few Days Later

Morningside Height

It was a cozy Wednesday night. A typical gray and wet winter evening with the January rain drizzled softly outside her window as the radiators warmed the room.   

Rose lazed on the living room couch in her pooh bear adult onesie pajama. She was sitting comfortably in front of the tv with Revenge of the Sith playing on the LED screen, slurping a large cup of cold diet coke with a reusable plastic straw meant for boba tea, and hugging a large bowl of microwaved popcorn close to her chest, when Rey suddenly burst into the room and deposited herself next to Rose.

“Rose …” Rey started as she rested her head on Rose’s shoulder.

It was difficult to see Rey’s expression as the hood of her sweater covered most of her face. It didn’t help that Rey pulled the strings tight obscuring most of her visage.       

Rey’s serious tone interrupted the movie. Anakin had just force choked a very pregnant Padme and was now about to engage in an epic lightsaber battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Rose already knew how the movie tragically ends and so she turned her full attention to her best friend.

“Yes?” Rose responded. Sensing that Rey needed her.

“I’m thinking of visiting my grandpa,” Rey blew out frustrated bubbles from her lips.   

“You know the story already. I was just so mad at him, you know. What with trying to marry me off to some loser just because his family is loaded, ehhh bleh,” Rey made a disgusting sound at the mention of her matrimonial prospect.   

“Uhh huh,” Rose nodded her as she followed along with the conversation.  

“I’m so so very happy with my sugar daddy. I wouldn’t have met Kylo Ren if it weren’t for my fight with my grandpa. So, in a twisted way my grandpa did a good thing. Also, not that it’s important or anything but I might actually love Kylo a tiny bit which is like against the rule but that’s a topic for another time.” Rey shifted in her seat.  

“The thing is I cut ties with my grandpa solely because he was messing with my life but it has been some time since I heard anything about the ‘arrange marriage’ from my grandpa,” Rey explained as she raised both her hands to make the air quote gesture with her index and middle fingers.

“Sooooo … I’m thinking of reconciliation.” Rey paused and thought about his weekly text and email. Her grandpa had said that he just wanted her to be happy and that she should visit him when she feels up for a weekend trip.

It wasn’t an apology per se but it was close enough coming from her stubborn grandfather.

“He sends an invitation to visit every week and I’m thinking of going to see him this weekend,” Rose said.

“That’s great, Rey! You haven’t spoken to him in like forever. It must be close to two years now. I’m sure he would be ecstatic to see you,” Rose added sincerely. If she recalled correctly Rey had broken things off with her grandfather right after they completed their sophomore year.

Rey’s parents died when she was very young and her grandfather was her only remaining family and so Rose was happy for Rey.     

 "Would you come with me?” Rey asked.

“You’re my best friend and I would feel so much better when facing my grandpa if you accompany me this weekend,” Rey pleaded with her bestie. “Please. Please. Pretty please,” Rey closed her palms together in a praying posture and batted her imitation of sad puppy eyes at Rose with her lips pursed.

When Rose remained quiet, Rey pulled down her hood and batted her sad eyelashes even faster hoping that her sad puppy look would garner more sympathy from her best friend.

“Oh, alright. I’ll go with you,” Rose reluctantly agreed. It wasn’t that Rose didn’t want to support her friend but traveling abroad meant using a passport and her real identity.

There was always a risk of discovery.

“Thank you!” Rey shifted her body to hug Rose and kissed her cheek. In her excitement Rey jostled the popcorn bowl and a good amount of popcorn spilled out. 

“Pack light and just bring your passport. We’ll take my grandpa’s private plane,” Rey then hopped up from the couch and walked back to her bedroom. Her mood noticeably lighter.

Rose didn’t think that she would ever get accustomed to the lifestyle of the rich.

Private plane … private island …

Would Rose’s life be similar to Rey’s had her parents and older brother lived? It was probably best not to dwell on that thought.

They were gone now and can never return.

It was useless to imagine the life that might have been. Rather, Rose should focus on surviving her current life that she was living.

One day at a time.     

With Rey back in her bedroom, Rose picked up the remote control and resumed her movie. Her poor baby girl Anakin was about to turn crispy after being salty for the majority of the film.    

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

That Weekend

Private Island Somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea

They traveled Thursday’s evening right after Rose returned from her internship. Flexible flight schedule was another perk of flying a private plane.

Rose texted her sugar daddy to inform him that she would be spending the weekend with Rey and would return to their Upper East Side apartment the following Thursday.

Hux’s response was a terse acknowledgement.         

Rose soon forgot about him as she boarded the Gulfstream V. The ultra-long-range jet was spacious with four living spaces and a full gallery. Rey had said that the jet could accommodate 16 passengers. It was one of the two fleets that her grandfather owned. Sheev Palpatine liked to travel the world and doing so in luxurious style. 

Rose didn’t remember ever visiting a Mediterranean island even as a child and so she was looking forward to the trip. It would be good to get away for a bit. Winter break would end soon and then Rose would have to focus on her classes, the engineering internship and Paige.

Paige’s treatment was delayed yet again. It was the third delay. Her sister’s health was in a decline and the doctors weren’t sure if Paige would be strong enough for the T-Cell treatment.

And so they wait … all they could do was wait and pray.

Rose fell asleep on the plane and woke up just as they were approaching Palpatine’s private island – the Eclipse.

The view was magnificent. The water and the clear blue sky blending together. Rose thought the Mediterranean blue sky was the most beautiful color blue.

Sheev Palpatine met them as they deplaned. He couldn’t wait another minute longer to hug his darling granddaughter. After two years of estrangement it was wonderful to have Rey back in his life. “Rey, my precious grandbaby!”

Grandpa Palpatine gave his granddaughter a long welcoming hug before he turned his attention to Rey’s companion. “Hello, Rose. Welcome to the Eclipse. Just think of it as your home from now on.”

“Thank you, Mr. Palpatine. That’s very kind of you.”

“None sense, my dear girl. Call me grandpa. Rey told me that you’re her best friend and that makes you my granddaughter as well,” Palpatine then gestured for a driver to pull up with a black BMW vintage convertible.

It was a short ride from the “airport” to the large mansion that grandpa Palpatine referred to as his Empire. The whole island had multiple mansion style buildings but the Empire was the largest and most grand structure.

The first two days went well with the typical fun in the sun activity. Rey and grandpa Palpatine were catching up with one another and Rose was happy for her friend.

But on their last day … all hell broke loose.

Grandpa Papatine asked Rey to send his regards to her husband and that was when Rey learned of Kylo Ren’s deception.

At first Rey accused her grandfather of colluding with the Solo family but Sheev was ultimately cleared. Grandpa Palpatine confessed that he was surprised when he found out about the marriage and especially sad that he wasn’t invited to the wedding but thought that Rey was still mad at him.

And so he didn’t want to press.

Rey was inconsolable. Rose had tried to comfort her friend but it was a futile effort. Rey was sad and angry and hurt and confused and annoyed and then angry again.

The lies … the nerve to lie to her for almost two years! 

“My darling, I hate seeing you this upset. Shall I ruin the Solo family? Would that appease you? I can terminate all current contracts and tell my friends to do the same,” Palpatine attempted to soothe his granddaughter once more. It was upsetting to see his darling baby in such distress.

After much crying, Rey dried her tears with her sleeve. “I thought you wanted me to marry him. Shouldn’t you be happy about this?” Rey asked in between hiccups.

Sheev shook his head softly, “No. Not like this my dear. I didn’t know that young Solo deceived you and I hate seeing your tears. Let me bury him for you. Him and his whole business.”

Rey appreciated her grandfather’s offer. She knew that if she said the word then it would be done.

But Rey didn’t want her grandfather’s help. No. This was her business to settle.

If anyone were to bury Ben Solo, it should be Reylyn Johnson Palpatine herself.

“It’s okay grandpa. Thank you for your offer but I think I need to deal with this myself,” Rey said. Her tone was soft but her determination was firm.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

One Week Later

Cafeteria

Thursday

Eight days.

It has been eight full days since the last time Hux saw her.

Rose had texted him that she would be spending the weekend with her best friend, Rey. That there was some personal business to attend to. Hux didn’t want Rose to go. But had he protested then he would have to admit to himself that he cared more than he was letting on.     

Eight goddamn days. 

It felt like an eternity.

Not that he was counting. Hux huffed out a frustrated breath … who was he kidding … yes … alright … yes he was counting the days.

It didn’t help that Rose went out of her way to avoid him at work.

The only place he was able to catch a glimpse of her was the cafeteria located on the fifth floor. Hux had never stepped foot on this particular floor before today. He didn’t even know that they had ginormous palm trees in the office building.

He had learned that Poe Dameron and his team practically took over a small section of the cafeteria as his alternative work space. From what he heard from the grapevine, the Head of Engineer spent roughly half of each workday inside the cafeteria.   

Sitting on the far right corner Hux could see the Head of Engineer and his team gathering around a low coffee table. There were papers and electronic devices scattered around the ‘work area.’ The full glass window illuminated the room with the bright winter sun. It highlighted Rose’s long shinny dark hair and Hux was momentarily mesmerized.

A loud pretend cough from his younger cousin brought his focus back to the present.

Ben Solo was pestering him, wasting his precious time. Hux had wanted to see Rose and so he had kicked Ben out of his office but Ben followed Hux to the fifth floor.

“Bro, I never see you anymore,” Ben said after he cleared his throat once more. “Last week was mom’s birthday and you didn’t even show up. She’s your aunt … your family.” Ben then took a sip from his cappuccino.

Hux remained silent, his eyes razor focused on his sugar baby.

Rose interacted with other team members with ease. Her posture was relaxed. Why was she laughing? That sweet smile directed at Dameron was bothering him. Did the hotshot engineer say something amusing? Was it something witty? Did Rose like his sense of humor?

His dark mood took a turn to a much darker side.

“You’re not even paying attention,” Ben said softly. He found the situation almost surprising.

“I’m busy,” Hux replied. His eyes still on Rose. His fingers rhythmically tapping against his espresso’s cup. He had sent aunt Leia a gift and a note of apology for his absence. But Ben already knew that so Hux didn’t know why Ben was still pestering him.

“Doing what exactly?” Ben exasperatedly asked.   

Then Ben followed Hux’s line of sight and it finally hit him. It was not a ‘what’ but rather a ‘who’ that his cousin was doing.

“I see. You’re brooding. When your sugar baby is in your vicinity all you do is track her with your scary eyes and then you brood,” Ben kept his amused voice low. Who would have thought his cousin would be in a similar situation. He and Hux were both falling for their respective sugar baby.

“I do not brood,” Hux replied but his eyes remained on Rose.

“Right. My mistake … you sulk,” Ben took another sip from his drink.

“I am not sulking,” Hux said indignantly.

“Yes you are,” Ben retorted.

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“I most certainly am not sulking,” Hux finally turned to face his annoying younger cousin. 

Ben sighed and then a big smile formed on his face. “Just admit that you like her.”

Hux raised his auburn brows, “are you seriously giving me relationship advice?”

Ben simply shrugged his broad shoulders. His relationship with Rey was going well despite his small, tiny really, fib.

Before Hux could say anything more a tall middle aged man with short dark hair in a gray suit and stripped red tie interrupted their conversation. “Excuse me, sir,” the man pulled out a large envelop from his brown leather briefcase. “Are you Mr. Benedict Organa Skywalker Solo?”

“Yes, and who are you?” Ben asked. He did not recognize the older man.

“My name is Galen Erso, Esquire from the Raddus, Nebulon, and Xwing law firm. I represent Ms. Raylyn Johnson Palpatine,” the lawyer explained as he handed Ben the large envelop.

“Hmm,” Ben hummed. Why did  Rey hired a lawyer? “And what’s this?”

“At the behest of Ms. Palpatine, I am serving you your divorce papers. If you do not contest the proceeding then I would need you to sign this acknowledgement of service form,” Galen produced another paper from his briefcase.

Ben was speechless.

Rey wanted to divorce him?

Oh! So she knew … oh dear God.  

“Mr. Solo?” Galen prompted when Ben Solo went quiet for a long while.

“I’m going to contest the divorce,” Ben then ripped the acknowledgement of service form and threw the rest on the floor. Ben was angry but more than that he was afraid. Afraid that Rey would leave him forever. That Rey would never forgive him for his deception. 

“That is your right, Mr. Solo. I will inform Ms. Palpatine, my client, of your decision. Good day, sir,” Galen gave a slight nod before he took his leave.

Despite Ben’s outburst, they were situated on the far corner of the cafeteria. There were only a handful of people utilizing the cafeteria as it was not a mealtime so Ben’s theatric outburst went mostly unnoticed.

Ben dumbly stared at the brown envelope in his hands. His perfect life was unraveling right before his eyes. He couldn’t believe that Rey was DIVORCING him!

Ben began to crush the envelope in his hands. His knuckles were turning white.

Hux knew that no secret could be kept forever and had advised his younger cousin to come clean but it fell on deaf ears.

“I’m never letting you go,” Ben mumbled seemingly in a trance.

“Why are you holding on to her? Rey clearly wants you out of her life,” Hux was sympathetic but Ben was mostly – if not wholly – at fault.

“I love her,” Ben declared. His voice breaking along with his heart.

“Then you should let her go. Respect her decision and beg for forgiveness … yes … but first you have to let her go.” Hux was shock at how reasonable he sounded. He never thought of himself as the voice of reason. But he thought the right decision was quite clear here.  

“Never.”

It was Ben’s only reply. His voice was one of suppressed rage before he roughly tore the envelope and all of its’ content to shreds.   

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

Upper East Side Apartment

A Few Days Later

Soft rain drizzled gently outside the living room’s windows.  A dark cloudy gray sky covered the entire city. The wet wintry weather added a dash of melancholy to the recent development in Rose’s life.

Sitting cross legged on the large plush sofa in her blue Eeyore pajama with a large cup of cold lychee green tea in one hand, Rose took a sip of her drink before deliberately chewing on the few boba tea pearls she sucked up with her straw.

Rose then narrowed her eyes. Hux was sitting on the other side of the living room facing her direction. The man appeared to be oblivious to Rose’s intense scrutiny.

Hux rested comfortably on a tufted wingback chair in the same matching color to the sofa she was perching on. Rose was well aware that staring was impolite but her situation was dire and they were well beyond the polite phase of their relationship.

Now that she thought about it, Rose didn’t think they ever had a polite phase. But it didn’t matter.

The fact that she was unable to live with Rey was more important. It was Kylo … no … Ben Solo’s fault and Rose wanted to know how much his cousin knew about the great deception as Rey referred to it.       

She had no choice but to move in and live full time with her sugar daddy and Hux was taking it in a little too well. No question asked. No snarky comment. Absolutely nothing from the man.

If anything, Hux was more quiet than the usual and that spoke volume.

It was sus …

“We have to talk about your cousin,” Rose finally broke the silence in the room. Rey now referred to Ben Solo as ‘the snake’ but she didn’t think Hux needed that particular information at the moment.  

Hux looked up from the book he was reading as if they were having a normal late Saturday morning conversation. “Why? What is there to talk about?” he said before running his hand through his perfectly comb back dark brown hair.    

Rose was perplexed. There was nothing normal about it.

“How much did you know about Ben Solo masquerading as Kylo Ren?” Rose asked getting straight to the point. Rose didn’t bother to hide the harsh accusatory tone in her voice.

Sensing that this would be a long conversation, Hux bookmarked his hard covered book before depositing it on the coffee table between them. “He drank heavily one night and unwittingly revealed his secret to me,” Hux replied calmly and let out a soft sigh.  

“When was this?” Rose pressed.

“A few months ago,” Hux said.

“And you didn’t say anything? Unbelievable!” Rose’s heart was beating faster with anger and frustration rising to the surface. How could the both of them lie to her friend? “Was this some sort of bro-code? It’s disgusting … tricking Rey into a marriage …”

“I will have you know that I had NOTHING to do with Ben’s deception and once he told me what he had done I advised him to come clean to Rey,” Hux felt the inexplicable need to defend himself and so he had cut off Rose mid-sentence.

Hux knew he was many things but he didn’t want Rose to think that he was colluding with his cousin. He admired Rose’s fierce loyalty to her friend and somehow it was imperative for Rose to know that he never supported Ben’s atrocious lie.  

Rose had to understand that his hands were tied. That he did the best he could given the circumstance. 

“I told him that his actions were likely illegal and that it was wrong,” Hux paused to reflect on the memory of Ben’s visit to his office and gave out a humorless laugh, “Ben said he loves Rey. And at the time the two of them seemed happy together. What was I to do?” Hux then tilted his head to one side waiting for Rose’s answer.

“And so you kept quiet … you didn’t say anything,” Rose then used her straw to stir her boba tea a little too forcefully.

“It’s not my place to say anything … not my story to tell. ”

Rose stopped mixing her boba tea and they were now in a mini staring contest.

Rose was still so frustrated with the situation. Her poor friend was still distraught although Rey was now pursuing a new path … revenge was the new name of the game. Rey had told her that she wanted half of everything Ben owned not because she wanted wealth but because it would ruin Ben Solo’s business and Rey was convinced that a ruined Ben Solo would make her happy.

Rose didn’t like Hux’s answer but she had to begrudgingly agree that he was … right.

Without breaking eye contact Hux shifted in his seat and he blinked several time before he spoke up again.

“Is honesty your price?”

Since the confetti money throwing incident Hux would periodically ask about her price. Rose had to admit that he was maturing somewhat as he was no longer throwing money at her.

The bar was low. But it was still a bar.

Rose didn’t answer right away. She had deduced that Hux was growing frustrated with the fact that he couldn’t figure out what her price was. And in a twisted, petty and slightly vengeful way … Rose felt powerful in denying him the privilege of knowing.

The illusion of having the upper hand was thrilling.

She took a long sip from her drink. “Hmmm. Well. Honesty is nice but not my ultimate price.”

Hux hid his disappointment and picked up the book from the low coffee table. Rose was now living with him full time and there would be plenty more opportunities to find her weakness. He needed to know Rose’s price because he refused to believe that he couldn’t ‘meet’ it.

Rose had said he didn’t have what she desired most.

Well … he was still determined to prove her wrong.

Hux didn’t mind that he would be spending more time in Rose’s company. He liked spending time with her and it was probably best not to examine that fact too closely.   

After the divorce paper was served, Ben practically camped outside their apartment’s door begging to see Rey. The constant knocking and yelling and crying were all too much. Rose couldn’t focus on her study and she couldn’t sleep. 

She didn’t want to leave Rey alone but her best friend insisted that she would be perfectly fine. After the reconciliation with her grandpapa, Rey now embraced her identity as the Palpatine Princess and had summoned a few security details to guard their apartment’s door.      

Ben Solo was physically removed from the premise several times but he ultimately returned … time and time again.

The vicious cycle repeated over and over.

Rose lasted all of two days. 

And now she was living full time with Armitage Hux. It was a small comfort knowing that Hux had no part in creating the deception … at least there was a conscience lurking somewhere underneath his brutal and unforgiving exterior.

Maybe it was small but at least it was there.    

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Geonosis General Hospital

Department of Hematology and Oncology

Early February

Friday

The familiar sterile antiseptic scent of hospital greeted Rose as she made her way to the oncology department. She had learned to tolerate the unique odor over the years visiting her sister but Rose was never comfortable when surrounded by the strong disinfected air.

Every time she was in a hospital, it meant Paige was unwell and the reminder pained her heart.

Hope was always alive but Rose didn’t dare to hope too hard because she was afraid that her poor heart wouldn’t be able to handle it if things go south.

But Rose allowed herself to boldly hope today.

Paige was feeling better. The doctors agreed that Pae-Pae was now strong enough for the T cell treatment. But before she could get the T-cells, Paige had to undergo a chemotherapy session. It was part of the treatment process.  

The doctors explained that the chemo session would help to lower the number of other immune cells and would give the CAR T cells a better chance to get activated to fight the cancer.

Rose couldn’t visit Paige yesterday but they spoke on the phone and her older sister reassured her that all was well.

But Paige had lied to her.

All was not well.

Rose entered Paige’s hospital room and saw that her sister was asleep. It was only 8pm but Paige looked completely exhausted from her chemotherapy.

Rose should have known that her sister would lie so that Rose wouldn’t worry. There had been previous sessions of chemotherapy when they were still hopeful. Rose had blocked out the severe toll chemo had on Paige’s body but now it all came rushing back.

Chemo helped but it was still a poison.

Rose walked up to the bed, Paige looked so peaceful sleeping but the dark shadow under her sister’s eyes was telling. The under eye shadow was a stark contrast to her ghostly complexion.

She leaned down and gently kissed Paige’s forehead. It was the only comfort she could offer.

Paige’s eyes fluttered opened and she gave Rose a weak smile.

“Ro-Ro. When did you get here? I’m sorry I dozed off for a bit,” Paige tried to sit up on the bed but Rose shook her head.

“I just got here, Pae. You don’t have to get up. It would be more comfortable for you to lie down,” Rose said softly and Paige complied.

“Are the side effects as bad as they were before?” Rose asked holding back tears that threatened to fall at any moment.

“Hmmm,” Paige nodded her head. “But the doctors said it’s completely normal. It’ll help with the treatment,” Paige explained weakly pausing several times to catch her breath. The hospital gown made her already thin body seemed even smaller.  

Rose reached down to hold Paige’s pale hand. A dainty jade rabbit bracelet dangled loosely around Pae’s hand that looked frail and cold to the touch. The sight of it brought out a small smile and warmed her heart.

Paige was wearing her lunar new year present. Last weekend the two of them had celebrated a small private lunar new year together eating dumplings for wealth, yellow noodles for longevity, and sweet lotus seeds for health.

Her sick sister couldn’t eat very much but they were happy to spend the day together.

Rose took out the only family picture she possessed from her small wallet. Uncle Snoke took the photo. In it her grandparents were sitting on a large black leather sofa with Storm holding an infant Rose, and smiling at the camera. Paige was holding their parents’ hand and Anthony was standing next to their grandmother.

Rose and Paige paid respect to their departed ancestors. It wasn’t much but at least there was some semblance of normalcy in a time of high uncertainty.

The green jade rabbit bracelet was given as a good luck charm and Rose felt a wave of positive energy washed over her.       

Rose gave a gentle squeeze hoping it would be a source of strength for her sister. “The treatment will work, Pae. You’re scheduled for next week and then you’ll be okay.”

“Hmmm, yes,” Paige nodded her head again but her movements were becoming sluggish. Chemotherapy had drained all of her energy. It was a losing battle to fight against extreme fatigue with her eyelids becoming heavier with each passing second.

Rose patted her sister’s hand and brought it up to cup her cheek. She gently rubbed her cheek against Paige’s frail hand and felt the hard cool jade, “I wish I could give you all of my strength, Pae-Pae.”

“Hmmm, I think you just did, Ro. I feel much better now.”

“I know you’re tired. I’ll let you rest and I’ll visit again as soon as I can,” Rose placed a kiss over Paige’s hand and watched as Paige closed her eyes. After a few minutes had passed Paige’s breathing became even indicating that she was fast asleep.

That was when Rose left to speak to the nurse in charge. Korr Sella was a friendly nurse and Rose had spoken to her numerous times before. The brunette nurse with dark brown skin insisted that she call her Korrie and assured Rose that it wasn’t unusual for patients to get worse before things get better and all the test results were within the normal range.

Paige would soon be ready for the t cell treatment.         

Rose left the hospital with mixed feelings. On the one hand, she was excited for the t cell treatment, hopeful even … but on the other hand, Rose was also deadly afraid. Paige was her only family.

What if the treatment didn’t work?

The possibility was always there.

This was the last resort treatment.

If it doesn’t work … then …

Rose couldn’t even finish the thought. It was unimaginable to contemplate such a future.

A future alone.

It was terrifying.

After leaving the hospital, Rose felt a crippling sense of anxiety. She knew there was nothing further she could do.  She could only wait and pray but Rose hated the feeling of helplessness.

There were two options to keep her mind preoccupy: one Rose could go to the office and continue to work on the big project her team was assigned recently, or Rose could numb her overactive brain with alcohol.

Being the responsible young adult that she was, she chose alcohol.

Rose didn’t know if work would be enough to keep her mind distracted but knew with almost a hundred percent certainty that alcohol in large enough quantity would do the job and get it done.

And so Rose took a bus from the hospital and headed to her dorm that she shared with Rey. With everything that was happening Rose was sure that Rey would be down for a night out.    

Campus

Aurek Peth Aurek

Frat House Party

Friday night was a good night for a party especially for college students.

New York City offered an endless possibility of night life but Rose and Rey both decided to go to a frat house party. Coruscant University had several fraternities spread out around campus and the girls ended up at APA – Aurek Peth Aurek.

As they made their way up the brownstones building, Rose noted that it was a typical three stories building then she turned to survey her best friend. Rey was dressed casually in a winter outfit but Rose could tell that there was a lot on Rey’s mind.

Ben Solo was nowhere to be seen when Rose got to the apartment and all Rey said was that she had sent him away.

Rose didn’t quite understand what Rey meant but from the vibes she got it was best to let the matter lie for the moment.

The frat house party was within a walking distance from their shared apartment. Rose had only attended a few parties around campus. There was just never enough time in the day for frivolous activities that normal college students enjoyed.

With her sister sick and her part-time job, Rose never felt she could overindulge. That she had to maintain control and stayed her course on the straight and narrow path.

It had never bothered her. She never felt the need to drink. Rose didn’t feel that she was missing out on her college experience by not attending college parties.   

But tonight Rose would make a rare exception.

Tonight she wanted to drink. To drink in excess. To overindulge. To dance with abandon. To block out everything. 

Rose wanted to numb her feelings. She was tired of feeling. Feeling helpless. Feeling alone and afraid. She was counting on the free booze juice to numb everything.

Just for tonight.

Tomorrow she would put on a brave face for her sister. But that was for tomorrow.

At the frat house, it was fine to simply sway to the music, feel the beats of the booming bass, and for her mind to be blissfully blank.

Rose didn’t know how long they were at the frat house but at some point Ben forced his way in and demanded to have a talk with Rey.  

Ben half dragged Rey out the door and Rose staggered after, the room had been spinning for some time but now walking was becoming difficult. Still Rose followed the two out and down the front steps of the brownstones.    

Rose threw herself between her best friend and the massive former sugar daddy who was soon to be Rey’s ex-husband, “What do you want with Rey?” Rose said as she blindly shoved at Ben’s massive chest with her one free hand, her other hand was holding a red plastic cup.

“I just want to talk,” Ben firmly stood his ground with both hands raised in a gesture that was universally recognized as one of surrender. Rose’s words were jumbled and Ben had no doubt that she was intoxicated.

Rose was uncharacteristically aggressive and Ben instinctively shifted into a protective mode. He didn’t want to accidently hurt the inebriated petite brunette. He had to admire Rose’s dedication to her friend.

“No!” Rose stood between Rey and Ben and shook her head vigorously, “Rey doesn’t want to talk to you! She said you’re nothing but a vicious! Lying! Snake!” Rose punctuated the last three words with a jab of her index finger over Ben’s broad chest. Then she took a step back and downed the rest of the alcohol in her red cup.

“Nooo taaallking!”  

“I think that’s enough drink for today, Rose,” Rey managed to ply the now empty cup from Rose’s grip. It was about half past midnight. Still early by party standard time but Rose was clearly wasted. 

“I wooon’t let him buuuully you, Rey,” Rose vowed with her serious voice but her speech was now majorly slurred. “You’ll have to go through me first!” Rose shouted at Ben and lunged forward seemingly unaware of the advanced state of her intoxication.

“Alright … alright … I promise I won’t do anything to Rey,” Ben placated softly using his protective voice he reserved for injured animals and small children.

With his massive size and towering height, children were often apprehensive and uneasy around him and Ben had to learn to appear as non-threatening as possible given that he couldn’t really do anything about his size.

It would be best to get Rose home safely. If something were to happen to Rose, Ben knew that Rey would never forgive him and his cousin would probably kill him. But more than that, Ben was genuinely fond of Rey’s friend and her safety was his priority. 

“I think we should call it a night, Rosie. Let’s go home,” Rey pulled Rose away from ‘the snake’. There was an automatic temporary truce between them.

Rey staggered back a few steps with Rose partially leaning on her. Rey moved to wrap her arm around Rose’s midsection to better hold her up.

“It’s tiiimmme to go nauw?” Rose asked in a dazed, “But I’m nooot doooone drinking yet.” Her voice came out as a gentle whine.

“Oh, Rosie. The drinks are all gone now. It’s time to go home, love,” Rey explained as best she could to her dear friend who was looking back at her with a pair of brown glassy eyes.

“My car is just a block up that way, let me drive both of you home,” Ben offered as he pointed north.

Rey reluctantly agreed. She wanted to bring Rose back to their shared apartment but Ben was adamant that they should take Rose to his cousin’s place since Rose normally spend the weekend at Hux’s place.    

And the two of them needed to talk.

Rey had no good excuse. Even before their contentious divorce, Rose had always stayed the weekend over at her sugar daddy’s apartment.

Rey sighed, Ben was right. Their talk was long overdue.

Ben used his spare key to enter his cousin’s apartment. He had texted Hux earlier to inquire his whereabouts and learned that Hux was attending a work social event and wouldn’t be home for another hour.

Ben let his cousin’s know that Rose was quite intoxicated but she was safe and was resting at his Upper East Side apartment. 

Rey had given Rose a glass of water to drink but Rose just curled into a ball on the bed and so Rey put the glass down on the nightstand and kissed Rose’s forehead before she and Ben left together.

Hux had informed them that he was now heading home and that they didn’t have to stay.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The Imperial Club

Midtown

Hux was attending another dull charity dinner hosted by his father’s social circle. Brendol was using the social gathering to pitch new partnerships and new hotel expansion plans.

According to their contract Rose was supposed to accompany him but he hadn’t told her about this particular event since he wanted Rose to rest.

Hux had noticed that in the past two weeks or so Rose was working later than usual and she had a look of perpetual fatigue about her. Was Dameron overworking the interns? Was he driving them to an early grave?

Hux had wanted to ask but that would be admitting that he cared.

It was unacceptable and so he had resorted to a more dignified mean.

Discrete intelligence gathering. 

Hux had ‘accidentally’ spilled his coffee when he ran into another intern working with Rose. Wesley … no Wexley or Weasle or whatever his name was.

Hux had apologized and offered to cover the price for dry cleaning and a new shirt. He made sure to spill some coffee on his own white shirt so that the two of them would end up in the restroom wiping off the stains side by side over the sinks.

This gave him the opportunity to inquire about the working conditions over at Engineering.

From their conversation, Hux learned that there was a new project that all the interns were working on. An important project for the department and so they all volunteered to work overtime.  

Anger. Hux felt anger burning inside him. He needed to have a little chat with Dameron. He should know better than to let his interns work overtime. They were running a hospitality business not a financial hedge fund. There was absolutely no need to torture the interns.

A notification on his cell-phone brought his attention back to the charity event. Hux looked down and saw a text from his cousin.

• Ben: hey where are u right now?

• Hux: At another dull work event. Why?

• Ben: The girls were at a frat house party earlier & Rose is pretty wasted but she’s back in your apartment now. 

• Hux: Is she sick?

• Ben: She’s just sleeping. U want me and Rey to stay with her til you get back?

• Hux: I’m heading back now. You don’t have to stay. I’ll be there in 15. 

• Ben: Roger that

• Hux: Thanks

• Ben: No sweat bro

Hux put his phone away and headed to the coat check area to retrieve his overcoat. The drive home should be quick.

Rose was intoxicated. Hux found it surprising since he had never once seen Rose drink excessively in the months they were together.

The only two drinks he saw Rose overindulged in were her boba tea and diet coke.

Was her internship stressing her out?

His anger at Dameron returned and multiplied.

Upper East Side Apartment 

Hux entered the apartment and headed straight to the dark bedroom only to find it empty. The bed looked slept in but there was no Rose.  Hux was about to turn on the nightstand lamp when he saw light coming out from under the bathroom’s door.

He found Rose in the state of half undressed and passed out on the bathroom’s floor. One sock was discarded by the bathtub with Rose wearing one on her right foot. Her sweater was not far from the poor abandoned sock.

Rose managed to free one hand from her long sleeve maroon shirt but for whatever reason wasn’t able to complete the task of removing her shirt. A salmon pink tank top could be seen underneath her shirt.  

Hux crouched down next to the unconscious Rose and gently shook her shoulder, “Rose?” There was a quiet moan as a response but her eyes remained shut.

“Let’s get you back to bed. I promise you’ll be much more comfortable there,” Hux explained even though he knew Rose couldn’t hear him. He then knelt on the white marble tiles and wrapped one arm behind Rose’s shoulders and his other arms beneath her knees.

He lifted Rose up in a bridal carry position and deposited her gently on the bed. Hux returned to the bathroom and grabbed a clean face towel. He turned on the faucet and wet the towel before he returned to the still sleeping Rose.

The bed dipped as Hux sat down beside Rose. He wanted to clean her face or at the very least wiped away her smudged mascara. Rose turned her face away from the wet towel in his hand and groaned. Her voice was louder than when she was sleeping on the bathroom’s floor.

“Nooooo, hmmmm, no.” Rose’s eyes remained closed but she lifted both hands to swat away at the towel near her face. “no, no, no.”

Hux didn’t like what he saw. He felt a pinch in his heart. He didn’t like to see her so defeated when Rose was normally so strong … so defiant … even when the odds were not in her favor.

“Hmm, no. I don’t want .. no,” Rose mumbled and Hux could see tears streaming down her face.    

What had happened? He didn’t know. It shouldn’t matter to him. And yet …

“I .. all alone … hmmm …” Rose then thrashed around on the bed,  “Anyone … I don’t ..want … be alone. Don’t leave me,” Rose swiped at the towel again and turned her body in his direction. She rested her head on Hux’s thigh and wrapped one arm across his lap. “I don’t have … anyone.”

The tears soaked through his pants and the pinch returned. It was suddenly difficult to breathe freely. He wanted to know what had saddened her … what drove her to binge drinking?

Rose was now sobbing quietly spilling more tears. “They all left .. hmmm … I don’t have anyone. I don’t … I don’t have anyone. ”

“You have me,” Hux said.   

He didn’t know what possessed him to make the statement. It wasn’t like Rose could hear him. She was fussing but still visibly intoxicated.

But he really meant it.

The tears and her melancholic tone had upset him and he was feeling protective. At that moment, it didn’t matter what kind of relationship they were in. His victory over her didn’t matter.

Odd thing that.

Hux didn’t have time to reflect as Rose let go of him and repositioned herself on the bed. Hux put down the wet towel and reached down to take off the shirt that Rose only managed to do half the job. It would be more comfortable for Rose to sleep with the shirt gone.

Rose went quiet as Hux worked to get the shift off. Once he completed the task he looked down to find Rose intensely staring at him with her bloodshot eyes. Hux automatically leaned in close just in case Rose wanted something.

Unexpectedly, Rose grabbed his tie and pulled him down. He was now inches from Rose’s face and he could smell the alcohol on her breath. “hhmmm, hmmm, you meanie …big jerk … so mean to me, Carrot,” Rose murmured. The last word barely audible. Then her eyes fluttered shut and her grip on his tie loosened.

Hux didn’t move away. He was frozen in place. Surely he had misheard her.

Carrot.

He hadn’t heard that name in … well ages … not since.

Then a shiny object resting between Rose’s breasts caught his attention. It was a heart shaped locket.

No. Impossible

It had to be a coincidence.

But he had to know. Had to be absolutely certain that he was imagining things.

There was no room for doubt.

And so, Hux reached for the pendant. The chain was different but it was understandable. The original chain was short, the length meant for a young child. Hux involuntarily held his breath as he plied open the heart locket.

Then he felt as if a bomb had exploded inside his body.  

Good God.

Oh Dear Lord.

It couldn’t be true and yet all the evidence was there … it was irrefutable.  

 “Kitty.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

An Hour Later

There were so many unanswered questions. Too many.

After putting Rose to bed Hux placed a call to his team of private investigators. It was late or early depending on how one perceived 2:30am to be.

But this was important and he didn’t want to wait.

Hux rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt as he impatiently waited for the emails to come through. He powered on his laptop, settled down at the small rococo style work desk in the living room, and raked his fingers through his dark brown hair.

Kitty …

It didn’t make any sense.

The last time he spoke to Snoke Tico at some work related function in London, the older man had mentioned that the Tico sisters were carousing around the Continent with no interest in running their family business.

Hux had inquired after the family as part of a polite conversation and Snoke had made a dismissive comment about working hard to fund the luxurious lifestyle of his socialite nieces.

At the time Hux didn’t think anything of it. He didn’t have any reason to think otherwise. It had been at least fifteen years since he last saw the Tico sisters at their grandfather’s funeral in London.  

He lost touch with many people including the Tico family when Brendol had sent him away to a boarding school and then to scores of summer camps when his school was in recess. Hux only saw his father a few times growing up. Brendol usually made an appearance when he was unsatisfied with his son’s academic performance.

If Kitty was here with him then Snoke had lied

But why? … for what reasons? … why would Snoke lie?

Hux rested one elbow on the mahogany desk and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Three months prior when they had just started their contractual relationship, Hux had told his team of private investigators to look into the background of Rose Kamino. It was for a completely different purpose but Hux was glad that there would be some information.

He didn’t care that the case was incomplete and told the team to send everything they have.

Hux was going to get to the bottom of it.

After twenty minutes of waiting, the emails hit his inbox and Hux spent the rest of the late night … or rather, early morning reading the files.

There were public records mixed in with paparazzi-styled photos taken recently.

His heart sank.

Now he knew where Rose was spending all of her money.

There were also evidence of assumed identities, past residences, evictions, and work histories for the two sisters. Hux learned that they were barely surviving even before the medical diagnosis.

There were also scans of old newspaper clippings that covered the Tico’s family. Most were articles on business opening ceremonies, some were interviewed pieces for industry magazines and then he saw a few articles on the passing of Hue, Thanya, and Anthony Tico. The headlines all referred to the incident as “A Family Tragedy” where the three Ticos perished in a fire, trapped inside an unfinished building site with faulty electrical wiring.

There was a two-page memo on the passing of Rose’s parents and older brother. The investigators noted that the fire might have been deliberate rather than accidental but the preliminary findings were inconclusive.

One thing was clear … there had been no contact between Snoke and the sisters since the loss of their grandfather, Storm Tico.

Good God.     

Hux emailed the team and asked for a hard copy of all the evidence and data they have on hand to be delivered to him in person and DJ, the lead investigator, informed him that he would do so first thing in the morning.

There was a lot to think about, but first, Hux headed to the drink cabinet in the kitchen and poured himself a generous shot of Johnnie Walker Blue. He needed a stiff drink and the Scotch Whisky would do.

Then the realization hit him in full force.

Oh God … Oh God … Oh God  

Rose had to know

The music box … why didn’t she say anything?

A small voice whispered a suggestion, “you’re not worthy of her trust.” 

He had to concede that it was true.

A paragon of virtue … he was not.

His moral character was questionable at best and he hadn’t really done anything to qualify as a dependable ally. Hadn’t done anything to earn her trust.

Hell … he wasn’t even a decent human being to Rose half the time they were together.

Several more emails hit his inbox, each new email revealed more secrets and heartbreaks. All this time he had believed, mistakenly, that the Tico sisters were living a spoiled, happy, and carefree life when the reality was anything but.

Snoke Tico. The old man was up to something.

Something sinister.

Hux loosened his necktie and took another sip from his drink. There would be no sleep for him tonight. He wanted to carefully study each document at least twice.

At the crack of dawn with the sun still skimming the horizon, Hux made several phone calls. The first was to Geonosis General Hospital.

Then around 8:00am DJ stopped by to hand deliver all the data his team managed to gather in the past few months. Hux was still wearing the business formal wear he had on from the previous night minus the jacket.

DJ noted the unkempt state of his boss but quickly masked his expression. It was best to keep things strictly professional. Sentimentality would simply complicate their work relationship.

There was a serious look on Hux’s face as he asked for a shift in the investigation and DJ obliged. A case was just a case to him, DJ reminded himself. He was paid to find information for his client and his boss wanted to know more about the suspicious fire.

After a quick exchanged DJ took his leave and Hux was once again alone at his desk. He blankly stared at the stacks of envelopes. Then he spared the music box on his work desk a brief glance.

There were several pictures laid out before him. Paparazzi-style photos of Rose visiting Paige at the hospital, Rose working at the hotel, Rose studying at the library on campus.

With his two elbows resting on the table, Hux messaged his forehead with his knuckles from both hands. He kept thinking back to the suspicious fire incident and Snoke’s bold-faced lie.

There could only be one reason for the Tico sisters to endure such hardships, to assume new identities and to cut all ties with their only remaining blood relative.      

Danger.

It was unacceptable.

So there was just one thing to do.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

On the Other Side of Town

Three Moons of Naboo Hotel in FiDi (Financial District)

Saturday

Late Morning  

Reylyn Johnson Palpatine sat in the middle of a large conference table flanked on each side by elite lawyers from the Raddus, Nebulon, and Xwing law firm. Ben recognized Galen Erso, the attorney who served him his divorce papers sitting on the left. 

Rey dressed to impress with her modest little black dress, pearl necklace, pearl stud earrings, crimson red lipstick, a pair of black stiletto heels with red soles, a diamond bracelet around her wrist and a black saffiano leather handbag resting on the chair next to her.

To complete the regal young heiress aesthetic, four burly security details in black suits and dark shades stood a short distance behind her.

After sending Rose home safely the night prior, Rey had told Ben that they could have a meeting the next day at her family’s hotel in FiDi.

The Three Moons of Naboo was Rey’s turf.      

But Ben was undeterred.   

It was fine to meet at her family’s hotel. He had no problem stepping on Palpatine’s territory as long as the two of them get to have their long overdue conversation.

The fight between them had dragged on for over a month and it was time to straighten things out.

Ben arrived on property alone wearing business casual. It was not yet quite noon but Rey was already waiting for him. Young Solo was directed to a large conference room. He didn’t know what to expect but it was certainly not the scene unfolding before him.

“Do have a seat, Mr. Solo,” Rey made a grand gesture with her hand and waved it in the direction of a tan upholstered leather chair on the opposite side of the conference table.

“I don’t think this meeting will take too long,” Rey added.

“I’d rather you call me Ben,” he politely voiced his preference.

“And I’d rather not be married –” Rey flashed her soon to be ex-husband a fake sweet sunny smile, “– I supposed that we don’t always get what we want, Mr. Solo.”

Ben settled down on the tan leather chair and privately nursed his injured feelings. He took a deep breath to stay calm. He needed to stay focus and not lose his temper.

Before Ben could get a word out, Rey signaled her lawyers and one of them placed a thick stack of document in front of him.

“What’s this?” He asked visibly confused.

When Ben had told Rey that they needed to talk, he meant that they should have an honest and open conversation about his little deception. And yes, he was well aware of the hypocrisy of the request since he was the furthest thing from honest during their two-year relationship.

Still, he wasn’t expecting whatever this was.

Rey gave him that same cryptic and slightly cynical smile again and Ben had a gut feeling that whatever it was … it wouldn’t be good.  

“Well Mr. Solo, since you contested the divorce proceeding and personally I do feel we haven’t been completely honest with each other. For one, I never told you that I am a Palpatine,” Rey paused and tilted her head to one side to study the man sitting across from her, his massive body dwarfed the chair he was sitting on.  

“Not that it matters since you already knew … but the point stands. We haven’t been our true selves and I truly believe that a genuine relationship relies on trust and honesty. With that said, I am willing to give this marriage another chance,” Rey explained and noted that Ben perked up, his brown eyes sparkled with a glimmer of hope that she was about to crush.

“But we should only proceed with great care. It would only be fair for the both of us.” Rey then gestured to the document before him. “That’s the new contract. I will give this marriage another go if you give consent to and accept a few of my … conditions.”

“And what might they be exactly?” Ben asked through clenched jaw.

This was an ambush. He was completely unprepared for the onslaught. Ben had no legal support present and he wasn’t about to read the monstrous document in front of him. It would take hours!  

“Well, I have quite a few. For starter, you would have to agree to respect my boundary and leave the property when I tell you to leave. No more camping outside of my apartment. Oh, and you’re not to speak to me when I’m cross. I’ll let you know when I want your company. You’ll naturally support me financially since I’m your wife …” 

“Stop,” Ben raised his hand to interrupt Rey’s speech, “how many of these conditions do you have?” The stress in his voice was quite prominent.

“Oh … just 66 conditions. I think it’s fitting for a beast … of a legal document, don’t you?”

“Jesus Christ, Rey,”

“What?” Rey sucked in a deep breath with her mouth forming an indignant o-shaped and placed one hand over her chest in a faux surprise gesture. Her voice was sickly sweet and patronizing, “you don’t want to? That’s fine,” Rey once again silently signaled her lawyers to present Ben with another stack of papers with the jut of her chin.

In a stern voice she added, “then sign the divorce papers.”

Sweet Mary, mother of God

Ben’s situation was becoming progressively worse with each passing minute. He was wholly unprepared for the bombardment of strong offensive attacks but he refused to yield.

Surrender was not an option.

And so Ben picked up the pen on the table next to the cursed document. As he was about to sign the new contract, the tip of the pen barely grazing the pristine white page, he looked up in time to see Rey’s triumphant face.

“What about my conjugal marital rights?” Ben had to ask. It was important. “I’ll need to produce a child at some point,” he added, not quite sure how far he could push the tenuous situation. Rey held all the cards and the few ones in his hands were rather useless at this very moment.

Rey narrowed her eyes and hissed softly. Her expression unreadable. The Snake knew she wanted children, knew that she wanted a big family, and to bring it up was a dirty cheap shot.

But Rey knew that Ben would try to get under her skin and so she forced herself to remain calm.

“Naturally an heir can be discussed at some point in the distant future,” Rey steadily clasped her hands in front of her and tilted her head to one side. “However, only I can initiate intimacy as per condition number three,” Rey replied without missing a beat as if they were commenting on the weather for a future outing.

She could tell that Ben didn’t find her answer to his liking but she couldn’t care less. Let him stew. These were her terms. He could take it or leave it.

The choice was his.

“Jesus Christ, Rey,” Ben mumbled under his breath as he mulled over his non-option.

“Fine, I’ll agree to your conditions,” Ben didn’t bother to mask his irritation and disdain, “if you agree to attend my family functions with me … say twice a month … as my dear, doting, darling wife.” This way he would ensure that Rey couldn’t push him away permanently.

Ben annotated and modified the contract and made a big show of waiting for Rey’s response.

Sensing that Ben’s proposed amendment was somehow a trick or a trap or both, Rey took several minutes to carefully think it through.

“Fine,” Rey accepted.

“Fine,” Ben countered.

He then signed the new marriage agreement accepting Rey’s 66 conditions.  

Rey didn’t mind Ben’s request too much. After all, what could possibly go wrong with several public outings each month? She could act like a doting wife when the situation called for it.

How difficult can it be to smile and wave? To carry on small talks and light conversations? To pretend that she was in love with her husband? 

Surely it would be fine.

For two years Ben had played her for a fool.

Now she held all the power. Ben Solo had wanted a wife quite so desperately … well now he had one. And what was that old saying again? … oh that’s right … be careful what you wish for.

Now it was her turn to show her darling dear husband what having a Palpatine for a wife truly entailed. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Upper East Side Apartment

Around the Same Time

Rose woke up with the worst headache she could recall in recent memory.

Her head felt like someone had taken a hammer to her skull from the inside. She let out a soft whimper and lifted her hand to her head in a feeble attempt to comfort herself and to somehow lessen the pain.

Glancing around the room without moving her head Rose recognized it as the bedroom she shared with her sugar daddy.

The curtains were partially drawn allowing in abundant rays of sunshine. The piercing bright light hurt her eyes and it made her headache more pronounced.

How did she manage to get back to this apartment? Rose had little recollection of what transpired the night before. She must have blacked out. The last thing she remembered was dancing at the frat house party.

Did Rey make it back home safely? She needed to text her best friend.  

Rose let out another soft groan; thinking made her hangover headache worse.

“Please, let me make it up to you,” Hux said softly from his position sitting at the foot of the bed.

Rose let out a little startled yipping sound with her heart jumping out of her chest. Hux sat so still that she didn’t realize that he was in the room and on the bed with her until she heard his voice.

“What the hell, Armie! You scared me!” Rose patted her chest to calm her racing heart.

She propped herself up with her elbows before sitting up with her back resting against the firm headboard then she clutched her head with her hands.

Hux didn’t seem to register her words. His green eyes were looking at her so intensely. Something was different but Rose’s head was hurting too much to think properly.

“Let me make amends. I know things have been difficult. It must be so hard with everything … I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I’m sorry I’ve been horrendous. I promise I’ll do better from now on. Please Rose, let me do this. I’ll take good care of you. I’ll take care of everything,” Hux made his vow.

The tone of his voice was solemn and sincere but he was half muttering and Rose struggled to understand his words.  

“What are you talking about?” Rose had no clue what Hux was rambling on about and the dreadful hangover headache was not helping.

Hux moved from the foot of the bed to sit next to her. He wanted … no … he needed to be closer to Rose but he was careful not to invade her personal space.

Well, that was … not too much.

He was close enough that Rose noticed the unusual state of disarray of his apparel. It was so out of character for Hux to look so disheveled.  

It looked as if he had been up all night. The white formal dress shirt with rolled up sleeves was crumpled and wrinkly, he had unbuttoned the collar of his shirt, and his necktie was missing.  

Rose could see that his dark brown hair was messy, his normally bright green eyes were dull and tired and he had a not so faint shadow of ginger stubble on his face.

He reminded her of a restrained feral animal. Barely contained.  

Hux didn’t respond to Rose’s question. He simply looked at her. There was seriousness in his demeanor. A long quiet moment passed between the two of them, then Hux reached down to place Rose’s smaller hand in his.

“Marry me.”

“What?”

“Marry me, Kitty, and I’ll take care of everything.”     

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

Rose didn’t know what twisted mind game Hux was playing at but she had zero interest in playing along. She had no time to indulge in Hux’s nonsense. There were more pressing concerns that demanded her attention.   

Looking down at their intertwined hands, Rose blinked several times hoping that her head would stop hurting so much. The room was not quite stationary and she was feeling dizzy just from sitting up on their bed.

Rose slowly pulled her hand away from Hux’s larger ones and reached up to cup his face between her palms.

Time seemed to have come to a standstill with the two of them staring into each other’s eyes. Concern shone from a pair of green eyes while there was a great deal of confusion reflecting out of a pair of brown.

“Armie, you look horrible,” Rose blurted out, noting the deep shadow under Hux’s eyes.

“I don’t have time for your shenanigans right now. Maybe later, okay?” Rose then lifted the blanket off of her lower body and climbed over Hux to get down from the bed. She needed to wash away the remnants of the party from the night before.

Rose took several steps in the direction of the bathroom before she turned back to look at Hux who was still sitting on the bed seemingly frozen solid in place. “You really should get some sleep,” Rose said before she quickly disappeared inside the spacious bathroom. 

Now it was Hux’s turn to be confused. Did Rose not understand what he was propositioning?

The gravity of his intention.

Granted … yes … sleep deprivation was taking a toll on his body and his disheveled appearance was probably not helping but truly …

He was being one hundred percent serious. 

Why couldn’t she understand that?

Hux paced the bedroom’s floor constantly circling back to stand in front of the bathroom’s door. He had a set of master keys for every door inside the apartment unit in his desk drawer in the living room. More than once he contemplated using the key to open the bathroom’s door so that he could continue their conversation, so that Rose would finally understand … but ultimately discarded the idea.

Barging uninvited inside the bathroom wouldn’t improve his situation.

On the contrary, he knew that Rose wouldn’t appreciate him violating her privacy.  

And so … to his great dismay, he had to wait.   

Inside the bathroom Rose studied her reflection in the mirror taking in the physical damage from the night prior. It wasn’t all that bad. Sure, her face was somewhat bloated and her long dark hair was a tangled mess but her face was mostly clean.

Did Hux wipe her face last night? There was a vague notion of a cold towel on her face but she couldn’t really recall anything more.

Rose didn’t know why Hux was so frayed. Perhaps there was an urgent project he was working on but the man really needed to rest.

What with losing his god damn mind and speaking gibberish.

Rose stepped inside the shower, letting the warm water cascading down her body. She felt a large part of her wariness washed away. The heated water relaxed her muscles and improved her headache.

After the shower Rose changed into a comfortable pair of black leggings, a simple navy striped t-shirt under an oversized Coruscant University sweater and a pair of pink indoor slippers.    

Hux didn’t know how much time had actually passed, he guessed around thirty minutes but to him it felt like Rose was taking forever before the bathroom’s door swung open.

“Ooo!” Rose yelped. She was surprised to see Hux standing just outside the doorframe. 

“Stop scaring me, Armie! What’s wrong with you?” Rose gave Hux a not so gentle shove and walked past him out of the bedroom heading to the kitchen. Dehydration was killing her and Rose was desperate for a glass of cold water.      

Hux followed behind her but Rose paid him no mind.

He stood on the other side of the kitchen countertop as Rose filled her glass with cold filtered water from the refrigerator’s water dispenser.

Hux silently observed Rose as she drank greedily taking large gulps to quench her thirst. The fresh water improved her mood but it lasted only for a short moment.

Hux spoke calmly. His voice low and steady as his words destroyed her world.

“I’m terminating our contract, Rose.”

“What did you say?”

Rose whipped her head around to face her soon to be ex-sugar daddy. She didn’t understand … she must have misheard? There must be some kind of mistakes. She didn’t break any of the rules stipulated in the contract.

She had been a good sugar baby.

She’d played by the rules.

“Why?” she asked weakly.  

In her confused and anxious state the glass Rose was holding slipped from her hand and shattered as it hit the hard tiled floor of the kitchen. Not knowing what to do next Rose instinctively crouched down to pick up the broken shards.

What would she do without her sugar baby contract? She needed money for Paige’s medical treatment. No. This couldn’t be happening.

What was she to do?

Her mind was racing. She had to come up with a solution fast. Paige was so close to getting the treatment. She couldn’t stop now. No. No. No. There must be something she could do … she needed to think harder!    

Rose didn’t pay enough attention to the sharp edges of the broken glass and the shards cut her fingers in the process of cleaning up.

She barely felt any pain. Her mind was racing.

“Hey, be careful with that.” Hux appeared next to her, pulled her injured hands away, and then led her to the living room where he could administer first aid and stop the bleeding.

For a few minutes no words were exchanged between the two of them. Rose was too afraid to acknowledge her new situation.

It was too terrifying.

Was Armie angry?

Perhaps he was angry with her partying last night and being intoxicated.

He was acting strange for sure but Rose didn’t think he was mad at her and so she quietly observed him as he retrieved a first-aid box from a side cabinet and tended to her open cuts with antiseptic.

Hux was especially gentle as he meticulously sanitized the cuts on her hands with alcohol soaked cotton balls. He had never really felt a genuine concern for the well-being of someone the way he was feeling toward the dark-haired petite woman sitting before him.

He didn’t know when or even how it all began. The next thing he knew he was already in the middle of having these foreign fuzzy feelings.

“You can’t be my sugar baby anymore,” Hux said as he wrapped a band-aid over a particularly deep cut on Rose’s ring finger.

“But why? … I don’t understa…”

Hux kept his eyes on Rose’s left hand turning it in different angles looking for open cuts that needed to be disinfected, “I know everything, Rose. I know that you’ve been lying this whole time. I know that Kamino is an assumed name. I know that your real name is Rosalia Tico.”

Rose instinctively pulled back her hand. Startled by Hux’s admission.

She knew that there was a high chance of discovery with Hux being the sly fox that he was. It wouldn’t surprise her if he had run a background check on her. Still. Rose didn’t think it would be so soon.

Rosalia Tico.

It had been years since anyone had said her birth name out loud. It felt so foreign and yet so familiar and comforting all at once.

“How did you …?”

“I saw the heart pendant last night.”

His voice was low and calm as Hux reached for her hand again. There were still cuts from the broken glass that needed his attention.

Rose inwardly cursed her carelessness.

She had planned to return to her dorm with Rey after the frat house party and had worn the pendant as a good luck charm. It was her last and only connection to her ‘before’ time when her life was happy … when Rose had everything.

When she had a family.

“And you called me Carrot,” Hux finally looked up to study Rose’s reaction. “There is only one person in this world who ever calls me by that name, Kitty.” A small amused smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Tears formed in her brown eyes. It was as she had feared. Hux knew the truth and he was pulling out of their contract. He wouldn’t help her and now she was alone again. 

“No. Please. You can’t,” Rose shook her head and Hux furrowed his brow in confusion.

“Please. You don’t understand. I need the contract. I don’t have enough money yet.” Rose pulled her hands back, wrapped them around her torso, and swayed back and forth gently. The repetitive motion was meant to self soothe and provide comfort. 

Hux couldn’t figure out why Rose was suddenly so stressed and distraught. Perhaps he wasn’t being clear and so he placed one hand on Rose’s knee. 

“You don’t have to worry about Paige. I’ve already called the hospital and settled the medical expenses.”

Rose turned to study Hux’s face and saw the truth in his green eyes. The turn of events was giving her an emotional whiplash. He didn’t have to pay Paige’s medical bills. There was no obligation outside of their contract. 

Why would Armie do something like that?

Something noble.

It was so out of character.

But she was too dumbfounded to ask and so Hux continued to talk.     

“I also called in a favor. An old school-buddy of mine came from a family of doctors with tons of connections. Beau said his cousin, Phasma, specializes in hematopathology and is interested in taking a look at Paige’s case. She won’t interfere with Paige’s current treatment but will standby as a medical consultant. A second opinion, if you will.” He then gave a small reassuring smile.

He wanted to do more but given that it hadn’t yet been twelve hours since he first learned of Paige’s sickness, he thought he wasn’t doing too poorly. Naturally, it could be better because things could always be better.

“Why?” Rose asked with her round eyes peering up at him. She was perplexed. 

As was he.

Yes, why indeed.

Hux had spent many hours late last night raking his brain and pulling his hair attempting to answer this very simple question.

Why? 

Why do any of it? 

Kitty was an old childhood friend but there was no debt between them. They didn’t owe each other anything. There was no obligation on his end. He didn’t have to do anything beyond the sugar baby contract. 

The contract, he had to remind himself, that Rose entered in freely with no coercion. But still … the more he thought about it, the more wrong everything felt. 

Kitty had gone through so much hardship and all he did was added to her misery. 

Regret? … Sure there was plenty of that to go around.  

Shame? … yes … yes he was ashamed of his conducts.  

Guilt? … definitely.   

Yes, it must be guilt. 

Hux had never told anyone but her jewelry box with tiny plastic wishing stars saved his life. It was his only source of comfort growing up with an absent father who had shown him nothing but contempt. The rare occasions that he came home was met with physical abuse and scorn. 

When things were looking bleak and hope was growing dim, Hux would take one shiny star between his hands and recite a prayer. 

In his heart, he knew that wishing stars weren’t real and that magic was long dead in the world but still he prayed. 

He prayed for a less painful future. A less lonely future. 

Hux would never admit it to anyone but in the most secret corner of his mind he prayed for love. That one day his father would spare a tiny amount of love for him. Hux knew that he could never measure up to Braxton. That he could never take the place of Brendol’s darling child but still he prayed that one day he would be good enough for his father.

It was sufficient to just be good enough.     

The heart-shaped jewelry box kept him company through his darkest hours. 

It had kept him sane.     

It was his light in a world with so much darkness.  

Kitty had given him that, even if she hadn’t known it at the time. And for him to behave so outrageously callous. 

No. The sugar baby contract had to go. 

He had to end it. 

“I’ve been horrible to you, Kitty,” Hux said solemnly.

He wasn’t quite ready to bare his soul but he could offer her one truth.

“I want to make amends.” Hux would concede that much as he raked his fingers through his messy dark brown hair. He wanted Rose to know that his offer was sincere but Rose only looked at him with suspicion in her brown eyes.    

“Why the sudden change of heart? Kamino or Tico or whatever else, what difference does it make? Why help me?”

“I … that is … well … I know my behavior was unacceptable … to say the least.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat not knowing the right words to say.  

“What? … Do you feel bad for all the nonsense you subjected me to?” Rose tilted her head to one side, “Are you trying to atone for your childish antics? Is that it?”

Hux didn’t have an answer. Not a full and complete one.

Yes. It was true that he had a change of heart because he felt a measure of guilt and shame but there was more to it.

He hated seeing her sad.

How would he even go about explaining to Rose that he felt dirty paying his Kitty to sleep with him? It didn’t sit right with him.

Why he was feeling this way when he had no qualm with the sugar baby contract only a few short months ago … well … Hux didn’t think he was ready to have that particular conversation even with himself.

Not just yet.

But they both couldn’t continue on as they were.

“I want to make amends,” Hux repeated once more.

“Can I really trust you?” Rose mused.

If this was yet another one of his tricks, she didn’t think she would survive the betrayal. Rose had only a few allies at the moment and she was so very wary.

Hux let out a frustrated sigh.   

“I know why you and your sister took up an assumed name. Your uncle Snoke has been lying to everyone. He’s running the Tico Corporation by telling everyone that you and your sister gave him power of attorney to make legal decisions on your behalf.”

Hux got Rose’s attention with that piece of information. “I know it’s a bold-face lie.”

“I didn’t sign any legal document but it doesn’t matter. Paige said we can never go back.”  

“I know. I’ve heard whispers here and there. Rumors. That the fire was not an accident. I also know that you and your sister are hiding from Snoke because you fear that he might harm you.”

Rose shook her head, “I don’t know.” She sighed, “Paige said she heard uncle Snoke saying something about getting rid of us. But I was only seven at the time. I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want it to be true.” Rose paused for a moment reflecting back on the few memories she had of her idyllic childhood.

Before the fire.

Before death came for her family.

“I still don’t want to believe it,” Rose said softly. It was almost a whisper.      

“I have a plan to take him down. If you trust me that is,” Hux tentatively raised the topic once more.      

“What’s the plan?”

“Marry me, Kitty.”

Rose didn’t say no this time which Hux took as a sign of progress. Although she didn’t say yes either, it was still something … so he pressed on with his explanation.

“Although the power of attorney document is a forgery, I don’t have enough evidence to prove that it is a fake. Not yet anyway. However, there is a stipulation that the agent, in this case your uncle, ceased to have power of attorney once you or your sister enter into a legal union of marriage.”

“But if we take away his control of the company, won’t that anger him even more?” Rose pointed out the obvious.

“Probably,” Hux replied truthfully.

“But the company was never his. It was left to you and your sister. Paige is very ill and Snoke will probably argue that her mental capacity is compromised due to the medical treatments and her frail health and that it would be in the best interest of the company for him to retain power of attorney.”  

“So how do you plan to take him down?”

“The Hux family holds about eighteen percent of the company’s shares,” Hux said. The partnership between the Hux and the Tico families go way back to the days of their grandparents. The Hux family held a majority-minority share in the Tico hotels and vice versa. 

“I’ll ask my father to transfer the asset to my name … say as a wedding present. With our combined shares we can call an official board meeting and politely ask your uncle to retire.” Hux explained.

On his own, Snoke did not have enough votes to contest the retirement request and would have no other option but to retire.      

Rose took a long moment to entertain Hux’s proposal. It could work but she didn’t know if she could fully trust the man that Carrot had grown to become.

“But why help me? What’s in it for you?” Rose inquired. 

“What Snoke’s doing is wrong. Let me help you take back your birthright,” Hux replied.

“Uncle Snoke would see right away that our marriage is a sham,” Rose scoffed and quickly dismissed the idea. “It’s not going to work.” She shook her head again to emphasize her point.  

Rose did not want to get her hopes up. She didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to her and her sister especially when Paige was undergoing an important medical treatment.

“Yes, I’ve also thought about that. We can’t confront him right away. The marriage would have to look and feel authentic so we’d have to be married for a while. I’d say 6 months to a year, at the very least,” Hux then searched Rose’s face for any outward reaction to his proposal and saw that there was no overt opposition.

“Once we force Snoke out then I’ll grant you a divorce. You won’t have to live with an assumed identity anymore. You won’t ever have to hide again. You’ll be free.”

“You’d do all that … for me?”

“I want justice for you and Paige,” Hux said, his voice full with conviction.   

“What about your dad? Won’t he find our sudden marriage suspicious?”

Hux laughed. The irony of the situation was not lost on him. By marrying Rose Tico, Hux was doing everything his father had wanted him to do. It would please Brendol Hux to no end that his son’s wife was best friend with Sheev Palpatine’s darling granddaughter.

“My father has been hounding me to marry, for quite some time now – for business reasons,” he casually shrugged his shoulders, “it was actually the reason why I needed a sugar baby in the first place,” he explained and another thought occurred to him.

“If your uncle had anything to do with the fire incident then he should face the consequences of his action. I mean it when I said I want justice for you and Paige. Please let me make amends. You can lean on me. Let me take care of this for you. Please.” Hux pleaded as Rose continued to regard him with her beautiful doe brown eyes tainted with a touch of deep wariness. 

Should she agree to Hux’s marriage proposal? Rose contemplated the pros and cons of the plan. It was by no means a fool-proof strategy but it was worth a shot.

Rose had always wanted to reclaim her Tico name but there was never a realistic way to go against her uncle. Not with her sick sister, her lack of funds, and her lack of powerful allies. Rose could never risk it before.

But now Hux said that he wanted to lend her his strengths. That he wanted her to lean on him.  

It was tempting.

But being overly cautious had become second nature to her.

Hux was asking for her trust. He was asking her to place her sister and her own safety in his hands.

She needed to test his resolve.

He knew everything there was to know about her but Rose knew so little about him. It would only be fair that they would be truthful with each other moving forward.

Sensing that he failed to convince Rose of his change of heart, Hux leaned forward and move his body closer to where Rose was sitting. “How can I prove to you that I’m sincere? What do I have to do for you to believe that I won’t hurt you?”

There was complete silence in the room. Rose took a long moment to consider Hux’s question.  

“Can you promise that you will always tell the truth on anything I ask – whenever I ask it?” Rose didn’t quite answer Hux’s question but rather she presented him with a question of her own.

“What kind of questions do you have in mind?”

“Tell me one thing about you, a secret you kept hidden, something that you have never told anyone before?” Rose knew that Hux would be reluctant to share his personal information with her. She had learned this very early on in their relationship that personal trust didn’t come easy to him.

“If you trust me with your truth then I’ll trust you with mine.”

Trust was a two-way street. If Hux didn’t trust her enough to share a part of himself with her then she would have no reason to trust him in return.   

Hux understood what Rose was really asking of him. She was asking him to exchange one trust for another.

So be it.

Hux took a deep breath and focused his eyes on the floor instead of looking at her. It was difficult but he was willing to pay the price and atone for his poor behaviors.

“When my mother died, I …, I cried myself to sleep every night for weeks on end. I had repeated nightmares about the accident. In my dream, I begged her to not leave me behind then I would be jolted awake and I would feel an overwhelming emptiness inside of me.”

He then let out a heavy sigh. It was difficult to share something so private but he also felt lighter. 

“I cried when mine died too,” Rose said recalling the painful memory of her past. “I cried for months. I knew that she was gone but sometimes I would forget and asked for her. Then I would remember and the sadness would return.”

Hux noted the sorrow in Rose’s eyes. He suspected that she saw the same in his.

He didn’t expect Rose to share her story and for them for find solace and comfort with one another through their loss and grieve.

And yet here they were.

“Alright. Okay, Carrot. I’ll marry you.”

Hux smiled, “I’ll take care of everything. You have my word.”

Rose returned his smile. It was kind of cute how serious he looked when he proposed the plan. Then it occurred to Rose that an important item was missing.

“Do I not get an engagement ring?” She scrunched her eyebrows and pursed her lips, “I’m pretty sure there should be one in these kinds of situations.”   

Hux appeared visibly flustered and his pale face turned beet red.

“Umm. There will be a ring. I … well … the band-aid will have to do for now,” Hux pointed to the band-aid he had wrapped around her ring finger a moment ago.

Rose rightly called it. It was his fault. He was unprepared. He should have gone out earlier to purchase a ring for the occasion but he didn’t. There were just too many moving parts.   

Rose didn’t really care about such things but she enjoyed seeing Hux squirmed. It pleased her just a little too much. The man often exuded an air of superiority and haughtiness and to see him knock down a peg or two or even three … well … let’s just say Rose reveled in it.

“And here I thought you were rich!”

“I am rich!” Hux retorted. Did Rose doubt his ability to provide for her? He didn’t want Rose to question his ability to support her.

Rose laughed. It was too easy. She was baiting him and he was being so oblivious to it all.  

“I’ll have you know that I own …”

“Hush! Carrot! Jeez!” Rose raised her hand up between them. “There really is no need to get all huffy. I was just teasing you. Why don’t we talk about it after you get some sleep, hmm?” Rose interjected.

Hux didn’t quite know how to proceed.

Teasing him?

He thought Rose was beginning to doubt him but instead Rose said that she was simply teasing him. He couldn’t recall anyone ever teasing him as an adult. Rose had a way of surprising him.

All he could do was nodded his head.

He could rest for now and after that they would have to discuss the best way to move forward with their plan.

First order of business, they have a wedding to plan.         

On the Other Side of Town

The Three Moons of Naboo

Around the Same Time

Ben sat across from Rey and her team of elite lawyers. He had just signed a legal document agreeing to Rey’s 66 conditions.

“Well. Now that you have your new contract signed, shall we head out for lunch, wife?”

“We’re not done yet, husband,” Rey replied with an exaggerated emphasis on the word husband.

“What now?” Ben asked as Rey passed a piece of paper to him, “another slave contract for me to sign?”

“Not quite. But you have a task to complete,” Rey said, pointing to the instructions written on the paper to order eight sets of gift box from a nearby fancy Parisian Chocolate Shop.

“I’ll have someone deliver them to you later,” Ben said casually.

Rey then scoffed, “No. Absolutely not! You have to get them yourself.”

“Why? What’s the big deal?”

“The gifts are for my dorm mates. The ones you disturbed when you were behaving badly after you were served the divorce papers. So you need to do this task on your own to admit your wrongdoing and to show your sincerity,” Rey patiently explained despite her growing irritation.  

Ben huffed out a breath and leaned back on his chair, “If you had opened the door when I politely knocked then they wouldn’t have been disturbed.”

“Are you implying that it was my fault?” Rey could hardly believe what she was hearing.

“I’m just saying that the fault can’t all be mine, that’s all,” Ben replied.

The gall of the man! It was infuriating! She wanted to kick some sense into him – with her foot!  

“You do realize that there are other people living my building, yes? Your poor behavior disrupted their lives to some degree. Even Rose couldn’t study and had to seek refuge with your cousin, Armie. So, the right thing to do is to buy the gifts and offer your apologies to them in person. I’m still living there, you know.”

Ben still didn’t think it was all his fault but Rey had a point. He didn’t want her dorm mates to give her a hard time since Rey was still living there.

“Alright, fine. I’ll get it done. Then you’ll have lunch with me?”

“Hmmmm. I’ll think about it. Ask me again when the task is done.” Rey replied and waved her hand toward the door, indicating that their meeting was over and it was time for him to leave.  

She would make him work for it. Did Ben think it would be easy for him just because they remained husband and wife?

No chance.

Her husband had been fucking around with her with his lies, so really, he shouldn’t be acting all surprised to discover himself in the find out stage of things.   

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

Upper East Side Apartment

After cleaning up the broken glass, Hux took a quick shower and changed into a comfortable pair of lounge pants and a solid t-shirt. He didn’t think it was wise to sleep now that it was already past midday. Sleeping now would only ruin his schedule by confusing his circadian rhythm but Rose had other plans.

She promptly informed him that he needed to sleep. That his brain and his body needed the rest. That he could get sick from working his body overtime. That she wouldn’t let him reasoned his way out and more importantly that she would feel better knowing that he was in bed.

It was odd to be told what to do by Rose Tico but Hux ultimately acquiesced.  

It was indeed an odd feeling. He felt it again that warm and fuzzy feeling in the middle of his chest. He had forgotten what it felt like to be fussed over.

To have someone care about his well-being.

To matter to someone.     

To matter at all.

Rose pulled up the duvet over him as he lied on his side. She sat down on the bed as he processed the recent changes in his life. It occurred to him that he didn’t mind the new attention he was getting from his former sugar baby.

To be honest, it was quite the opposite.

After keeping him company for a few minutes Rose got up from the bed. Hux didn’t want her to leave him, “Kitty, where are you going?” he asked as he reached out for her wrist preventing Rose from leaving. He didn’t where the separation anxiety was coming from.

It was unlike him to be so … to be so clingy.  

“I’m going to the hospital to visit Paige,” Rose replied and looked down at her wrist.

Hux let it go, albeit reluctantly. “Are you going to tell her about our deal?”  

“Not everything,” Rose replied, her words spoken deliberately and thoughtfully. Then she began to pace the floor. “I’ll tell her about us but Paige doesn’t have to know about uncle Snoke. Not right now. I don’t want her to worry about anything other than her recovery,” Rose reasoned.

“Then I should go with you,” Hux sat up on the bed but Rose shook her head.

“Next time we’ll go visit her together but I need to speak to my sister alone this time,” Rose then retrieved a crossbody bag from the bedroom’s dresser before turning her attention back on him once more.

“I won’t be long. Promise me you’ll get some sleep when I’m out,” Rose asked with her head tilted to one side.

Hux gave her a slow nod of acknowledgement, “yeah, I’ll sleep.” Then he watched as Rose walked out of the bedroom.

He knew that his answer was what Rose wanted to hear but what he wanted to say was ‘please hurry back’ and ‘I’ll miss you’ which didn’t really make any sense and so he held his tongue and buried the feeling away for now. There would be time to unpack his emotions later, if at all.

During his musing Rose made her way to the living room, took out her winter jacket from the coat closet by the main door, wrapped a warm pink scarf around her neck and put on a sturdy pair of winter boots.

Before he finally succumbed to fatigue, the last thing Hux heard was the sound of the apartment’s door opening and then closing a short moment later.

Then he was off to slumberland.

Geonosis General Hospital

Rose scrunched her nose as the sharp scent of disinfected air of the hospital greeted her but she made sure to put her bravest face on so that Paige wouldn’t worry. Rose spoke to Korr Sella at the nurses’ station and received an update on her sister’s progress.

The nurse told her that Paige’s recovery rate was looking good and that they could start the T-Cell treatment the following week.   

“Hello, Pae-Pae,” Rose greeted her sister with a sunny smile as she stepped inside Paige’s room. There was a newfound hope in the very air Rose had always thought to be sterile and pungent.    

Paige, in her hospital gown, was standing next to the large window overlooking a garden courtyard. There was a bouquet of flowers in a vase on the small table next to the window.

“Hi, Ro,” Paige turned to watch as her younger sister walked inside the room and closed the door behind her.

“How are you feeling today?” Rose asked.

“Much better,” Paige gave Rose a reassuring smile. The worst of it had already passed. “The doctors told me this morning that I could get the T-Cell treatment as early as next week.” There was a touch of anxiety in Paige’s voice.

“I just heard from Korr. It’s going to work, Pae,” Rose took Paige’s hand between hers and then gave a gentle squeeze. “It’s going to work.”

Rose promised to accompany Paige during the T-Cell transfusion and the conversation soon turned to Rose’s college courses, her upcoming graduation, and her engineering internship.

Rose took the opportunity to tell Paige about Hux. Rose had to gloss over some details and by that she meant a lot of details on how they met, how they came to realize that they were childhood friends, how their ‘amorous’ feelings first developed.

Now that she was recounting the tale, Rose realized just how much she had to embellish as to not alarm her sister.   

Paige took the news in stride. She remembered young Hux as a quiet and thoughtful boy but she wasn’t close to Armitage. Growing up Paige was closer in age to Hux’s brother, Braxton.

Although it felt quite sudden, Paige was happy for her sister.

“I’m happy for you Ro-Ro,” Paige beamed her younger sister a smile. “When I’m done with the T-Cell treatment and my health improve, let’s all go skiing. Just like old times when we were kids.”

Their parents were avid skiers and they along with the Huxes would take long weekend trips together. Reminiscing about their happy memories brought tears to Rose’s eyes but more than that Rose was happy that she and Paige were speaking positively about the future.

It was the first time in a very long time.

They were making plans for life after cancer.

There was a promise of a new happy memory together.

“You were always the better skier, Pae. If you recalled, I preferred the tube,” Rose added with a small laugh. She was an okay skier but tubing didn’t require any skill beyond the ability to sit.

“Well, it had been awhile for me. It might be a good idea to start with snow tubing first.” Then the two sisters shared a laugh.

Rose said her goodbye to her older sister after about two hours of light conversation. She sensed a cheerfulness in Paige, a buoyant and optimistic feeling she hadn’t felt in so so long.

The future was looking bright.

There was hope.   

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Upper East Side Apartment

One Month Later

Middle of March

Rose sat in her Peter Rabbit pajama dress in the living room reviewing her made-to-order ‘wedding dress.’ There were too many options to select from not to mention more options for the bridesmaid’s dresses. Then there were the dress fitting, spa treatment, photoshoot session, flower arrangements, color schemes, seating arrangements, wedding cake, invitations, so many details, fonts, colors, food options, alcohol, live music contract, and more!  

Rose didn’t understand why she needed to do any of it.

“Could you explain to me again why we have to do all this?” Rose gestured to a lone tablet among a scattered pile of papers on the low coffee table between the two of them. “Such a waste of money. It’s not like any of it is real.”

Hux gave a disapproving tsk. “It has to look and feel real. Do you want your uncle to doubt the legitimacy of our marriage? The wedding party is small but the point is that it IS real.” It was endearing to see Rose looking so flustered when he wanted to pamper her.

“Have you forgotten that I’m quite rich?”     

“But we’re already married!” Rose let out a frustrated breath.

They had made it official at the Marriage Bureau two weeks ago on the last day of February. Rey and Ben were present as witnesses. Paige was still in recovery and Rose convinced her sister to focus on healing at the hospital. To make up for missing the event she promised Paige that she would be the first to see Rose in her wedding dress.

“It’s just a reception. Can’t we just have a simple one? Without all the fanfare,” she added with a pout.

“It’s already simple, Kitty. We just need to get the invitation out since the reception in May is coming up soon.” Hux picked up the tablet and swiped the screen a few times. “Let’s go with this one.” He turned the tablet so that Rose could see the style of the wedding invitation. It was a unique design in the shape of a heart with rose gold foil on black parchment paper and a wax seal.  

“That’s pretty!” Rose exclaimed.

“Only the best for my wife,” Hux responded with an indulgent smile.

On some levels of his rational thinking brain he knew that their marriage was a union in name only. Hux was well aware that they were holding a wedding reception as part of an image crafting scheme – it was something meant to deceive Rose’s uncle.

But still …

He knew he was in trouble because in his heart he couldn’t distinguish reality from fiction.

Not wholly and completely.

In his heart Rose was truly his wife.

He was bound to her as her husband and he wanted to be her protector.   

Later that Night

Rose stood in their shared bedroom looking out the window. It was starting to snow again after a cloudy day adding more white fluff to what the storm had left from the night before. Rose couldn’t stop the tears.

How could she when the fluffy white snowflakes kept falling from the sky above. She was certain that it was a sign from the universe. From the powers that be.

Paige was making remarkable progress with her recovery. Dr. Phasma had been wonderful and supportive.

That skiing trip that Paige wanted to go on… well it was looking more likely than ever before.

Rose tried to blink away her tears and when that didn’t work she wiped them away with the back of her hand but to no avail.

There was no stopping them. The tears streamed down her face.

Things were changing.

Her life was changing.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Hux asked from the other side of the bedroom and rushed to her side. His hands gently held her upper arms as he made a quick appraisal of potential physical injury on her person.

“Rose?” Hux repeated his question with a frown on his face.

There was no answer. Rose tilted her head back to look at her childhood friend turned sugar daddy turned pretend husband and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand once more.     

She let out a small laugh through her tears then she pressed her body against his firm chest and wrapped her arms around him. “These are happy tears, Carrot,” Rose explained and chuckled softly. “Paige is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.”

Hux couldn’t see Rose’s face as her face was buried in his chest. “You had me worried there for a moment, Kitty. I thought –”      

“ – Nothing is wrong, Carrot,” Rose pulled back to look at him. “I’m just so so so happy. Paige is getting stronger. Dr. Phasma has been wonderful. Thank you.” Rose then gifted Hux with her sunny smile and he couldn’t help but be enthralled by the sight of it.

“I made a promise didn’t I? That I’ll take good care of you,” Hux preened … just a little.  

Rose studied Hux’s serious profile. His concern for her well-being was genuine. It was hard to believe that this was the same man who had thrown a wad of cash at her just a few months prior.

Something in their relationship shifted. 

Rose didn’t know if it was her highly charged emotions or if it was just something inevitable between her and her Carrot but the moment felt … right.

With their eyes still locked on to each other, Rose subtly angled her head to one side and leaned in closer standing on her tiptoes. Her brown eyes slowly wandered away from his bright green ones and were now focused on his lips.

As Rose reached up her hand to cup his face, Hux leaned down and their lips met.

The kiss offered a taste of sunlight and salvation.

It was gentle and light. But that didn’t last long.

Soon, their kiss was anything but gentle.

It was passionate, feverish, all-consuming, desperate.

It was as if they had waited an eternity in solitude just so they could be here together.

Just so they could share this kiss.

Rose leaned in closer. Carrot had been so gentle with her in the weeks following the breakup of their sugar baby contract. He contacted more medical consultants for Paige. Searching for new and experimental medicine that might help. He shared with her information on uncle Snoke’s past work history and his likely plans for the future.

They were steadily moving things forward. The business shares had been legally transferred to Hux’s name.    

In short, Carrot was being true to his word.

A few days ago, Hux had shown her his family portrait taken when he was just a tiny baby. The eight by ten picture was framed and added to Hux’s work desk in the living room.

Rose could see Brendol and Lyra sitting on a sky blue velvet settee with seven-year old Braxton sitting between his proud parents. A red-headed toddler stood on Lyra’s lap with his mother’s arm looped around him and holding him upright.

It was a picture perfect family photo despite the deep crease that ran between baby Carrot and his mother.

Hux also shared more of himself with her. They had talked about their childhood, the difficulty of growing up without their mothers and the loneliness they felt.

Despite the heaviness of the topics, the conversation was surprisingly easy. They were confortable with one another and there was a strong trust between them. 

It was unexpected to discover that they had a lot in common.        

Paige’s illness had been weighing heavily on Rose’s mind. Her older sister had been lingering on the edge of death for so long that her recovery was akin to a miracle.

It was a gift.

Paige’s illness had taught her that life was precious and precarious all at once. At this very moment Rose wanted to feel alive. She wanted to feel a connection to another human being and Carrot had been so wonderful to her.

And so she wanted this between them. Rose wanted to be closer. To have no gap between them at all.  

She tugged at Hux’s shirt and got frustrated when it wouldn’t come off fast enough. She wanted to feel his warm skin against her own. She wanted to feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeats.

Hux pulled away from the kiss and immediately regretted the decision but he needed to get rid of his clothes quickly since they were in the way of what was to come next. Rose also did the same to her own attire. A moment later they found themselves on the bed and his mouth found hers again.

The kiss deepened. He relished her soft lips. Hux wanted more of her. He didn’t care how. He would take what he could get from Kitty.

All he knew was that he had promised to let her go once Rose took back her birthright.

Rose was not his to keep. Had never truly been his to keep and so he would cherish every moment he had with her.

With Kitty lying on her back and him straddling over her, Hux pulled away from the kiss and lifted himself up to look down at Rose whose breathing was now labored.

Rose was no longer his sugar baby and no matter how much he wanted it … it didn’t feel right for him to be doing something like this.

“Kitty?”

Hux carefully studied Rose’s brown eyes, searching … looking for what he didn’t exactly know. But his moment of doubt didn’t last long. Her passion filled brown eyes connected with his hooded pair of green and they allayed all of his reservation.

“Carrot.”

Rose reached up her hand to caress his cheek then she wrapped her arms around his back to pull him back down to her.  Her legs parted, making space for him, and urging him in.

He heard a soft gasp as he firmly seated himself inside her. Kitty made low keening cries that spurred him on. Each thrust was met with her hips moving up to meet him.

The movement of their tongues mimicking their lovemaking.

Hux could feel that she was close, her body vibrating, her inner wall clenching him. He picked up the pace, pulling out and pushing back in faster. Then he heard Rose screaming his name as waves of pleasures coursed through the both of them.

Hux soon collapsed over Rose. It took him a minute to gather the strength needed to shift his weight but as he was about to do so Rose looped her arms around his waist preventing him from moving away.  

“Don’t go. I like how you feel. Like a warm weighted blanket,” Rose murmured softly. Her breathe tickling his ear.

“If you keep enticing me like this, you’ll really be the death of me,” Hux heard himself say out loud. He shifted his position slightly, putting more weight on his probed elbow, and making sure his larger frame wasn’t crushing Kitty’s more petite form.

“Hmm?” Rose replied absentmindedly but he could clearly hear the soft giggle that followed and the playfulness in her voice when she asked, “that bad huh?”

“Yes. You’re very bad for me, Kitty.”

Rose had to laugh at the seriousness of his tone. The sound of it created that soft fuzzy feeling in the middle of his chest and Hux couldn’t help himself. He was completely enthralled by the magic spells that she weaved around him and so the only thing left to do was for him to lean back down to capture her lips and swallow up the rest of her laughter.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Hayanis Hotel

A Few Weeks Later

April

Inside his office suite, Hux sat at his desk reviewing the work files that lined neatly in front of him. There was a lot of work to do especially with a new partnership with Sheev Palpatine looming ever closer. Brendol had sent him numerous proposals to read but it was near impossible for Hux to concentrate on his work with his cousin moping so close to him on the wingback chair just on the other side of his work desk.

Hux sighed, “Don’t you have work to do?” he asked, clearly exasperated with the situation.     

“Bro, you don’t understand. You have to help me,” Ben pleaded with his sad puppy eyes. “I don’t know what else to do. Rey just won’t give me her time of day and I have TRIED everything. Believe me.” Ben whined quite pathetically. Hux imagined that his grown cousin’s behavior wasn’t very different from what one would expect from a petulant five year old.  

Hux put down the fountain pen in his hand and looked up to study his cousin’s troubled face. It wasn’t that Hux was unsympathetic to Ben’s current predicament.

He was sympathetic.

But then again Hux had warned his younger cousin that such a scenario would come to pass and Ben Solo being Ben Solo chose not to listen.  

And so … his cousin’s current situation was of his own making.

“Have you tried apologizing? … try saying that you’re sorry.” Hux probed and offered a word of wisdom. Ben had to know that he was in the wrong and Hux thought that an apology was a good first step in any reconciliatory process.

“Umm hmmm. What else you’ve got? I need a lot of help” Ben begged weakly. His tone defeated.

“I’m afraid that’s all I can do for you, cousin.” Hux informed the dark haired man who was now slumping forward on the wingback chair with his elbows resting on his knees and his head hung low.   

“What? Why? Umm What? I just told you, bro! I need a lot of help!” Ben looked up at his older cousin visibly confused.

“I don’t doubt that you do but I’m under strict orders from my wife. Can’t fraternize with the enemy and all that,” Hux explained in a matter of fact voice.

“I’m the enemy?” Ben asked incredulously.

Rose had explained to him that there were two warring factions waging a war of attrition and that she was a firm supporter of Team Palpatine from the distinguished House of Palpatine.  

As he was Rose’s husband, it was made abundantly clear to him that Hux was to side with his wife’s best friend. Which meant that he was prohibited from offering assistance to his cousin.

Hux just casually shrugged, “Rose said that there’s a cold war between you and Rey and we’re supposed to be rooting for Team Palpatine.”

“But I’m your cousin! Your family! You can’t ABANDON me like this!”

“Sorry, buddy. My wife said I can’t.”

“Un – fucking – believable,” Ben muttered.

Hux raised his brows, “come now. You have a wife. You should understand how it is.” It was common knowledge that if one’s wife declared a firm NO on a given subject area then there was only one correct answer moving forward.

That is unless one wanted to risk facing the wrath of one’s wife.  

Hux fell quiet for a long moment before adding “well … actually … maybe you don’t since you managed to find yourself in this dilemma and have yet to dig yourself out.”      

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

Rockefeller Center

Rainbow Room

One Month Later

May

After two months of meticulous preparation, the much anticipated wedding day finally arrived.

Rose and Hux spent more hours than they cared to admit in selecting the guests for the reception. Since the two of them were already legally bound, the wedding reception served a vital role by providing a mirage of authenticity.    

And as such, the guests all had their roles to play.

Naturally, friends and family automatically made the list. Guests in this group were invited due to the sole fact that not inviting them would be an immediate red flag.

And no one wanted red flags at a wedding reception.

Another group of guests were business partners of both the Huxes and the Ticos and their families – people who knew both families and were still on good terms. They served as important witnesses and lent credibility to the union of the two families.

The last group was more difficult.

Rose didn’t know if it would be too risky to invite them to the reception but Hux advised that they should be present to bear witness. The guests in this group were a mix of current board members of the Haysian Hotel in London and shareholders of the Tico Corporation.

The guest selection was a painstaking process and both the ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ took their time to study their final roster of about eighty guests. They only had one chance to perform the play and so everything had to be perfect.

Rose didn’t expect Hux to put in this much effort but she found the whole experience to be quite exhilarating. Hux had brought her up to speed on how their guests were related in terms of business dealings and financial standings.  

They both agreed that they didn’t want Snoke to attend the reception and potentially cause a scene but that an invitation should be sent. As Snoke was Rose’s last living blood relative, it would be too strange otherwise.

With this plan in mind, they needed to send an invitation to a place where Snoke wouldn’t receive it in time to attend the reception.  

Ultimately, the invitation was sent to the luxury seaside resort that was gifted to Snoke by Rose’s grandfather. It had been under Snoke’s direct management for many years but from her childhood’s memory, Rose recalled that for some unknown reasons her uncle despised the hotel.  Everyone in the family knew that it was the last place Snoke would want to be.

The reception date May the 5^th was selected as Snoke would be busy with his annual hunting trip in South Africa.  

“Wait, I need a few of those,” Rey chased after a server, who held a tray of French macarons and bite size chocolate truffles, “these are so delicious,” Rey praised the delicate and colorful bite size desserts as she casually popped them in her mouth.

“I’m glad you approve,” Rose smiled as she watched her best friend contentedly devoured the sweets.

The wedding reception was more than half way done. Vows were exchanged, speeches were given, dinner was served and now people were simply mingling and dancing on the dance floor. Some were sightseeing the city lights from the balcony and some were engaging in friendly conversation.   

Rose could almost breathe freely again. Everything was going according to plan. Uncle Snoke didn’t show up and none of the guests had any issue with the short notice of the reception.

Rose sent a quiet prayer to the deity watching over her and Hux. Perhaps Lady Luck was bestowing her favor on them this night.   

“How are you holding up?” Rey asked the ‘bride’ as she popped another chocolate truffle in her mouth. “It’s been quite a long night.”

Rose gave her best friend a reassuring smile, “I’m doing alright. It’s going better than I expected.” She then fidgeted with her brand new diamond ring. “At least uncle Snoke didn’t show his face and burn down the reception.”

Rose didn’t bother to hide her story with Rey. It wouldn’t make sense to do so when she needed both Rey and Ben to serve as witnesses for the legal marriage ceremony a few months back.  

More importantly, it was nice to have her best friend know almost the whole truth.  

Her real identity as Rosalia Tico.

The marriage in name scheme.

The potentially evil uncle Snoke. 

Since Rose didn’t want to burden her sister, it was nice to be able to speak openly with her best friend. Rey knew almost everything and was supportive of her and Hux’s plan to take back her birthright. Rey even offered to help since her grandfather was well connected but Rose politely declined wanting to keep things low profile for the moment.    

“Your uncle sounds like a real piece of work,” Rey commented.

“Hmmm,” Rose gave a non-committal reply. She studied Rey’s face. It was evident that something weighty was occupying Rey’s mind. “Are you okay? How are things between you and Ben?”

Rey frowned, “I don’t know,” then shrugged her shoulders, “nothing has changed, really. I’m still thinking about going back to my grandpa after graduation. And then I’ll figure out what to do with that no good lying snake.” Rey explained dejectedly.

College graduation was approaching in two weeks.

Perhaps being away from the snake would give Rey the fresh perspective she needed to move forward and sort out her messy life.

She couldn’t continue on like this forever.  

“But enough about me! Tonight is your night of celebration even if you’re partaking in it as part of your stratagems,” Rey let out a small laugh, put down her small plate in her hand, then added, “go greet the guests and I’ll get us something to drink.” Rey offered a sunny smile that masked her boy problem, “deal?”

“Deal,” Rose replied softly with a nod.

She could tell that the situation with Ben Solo was still bothering Rey but Rose didn’t want to press the issue. At least not at the moment, it wasn’t the right time.

Rey smiled before she went in search of two flutes of champagne. She was grateful that Rose didn’t insist on dissecting her and Ben’s relationship. Rey smoothed her dress and dusted off the crumbs on it from the macarons she just had as she made her way to the open bar to procure the bubbly drink she promised Rose.

Rose glanced around the room, taking in the surreal wedding reception.  

Hux was standing at a nearby table conversing easily with some of his family members. Rose could see his cousin Ben, his uncle Luke and his maternal grandparents Anakin and Padme Skywalker. Hux’s father was nursing a brandy and a few steps from the family table, his aunt Leia and uncle Han were busy dancing and laughing together.

A twinge of guilt pierced her heart. The pain of it was sudden but not entirely unexpected.

She and Hux were practically lying to his whole family. Anakin and Padme had been so kind to her and Rose could only hope that when her marriage to Hux dissolved, the older couple wouldn’t feel too terribly hurt.

Rose took a deep breath to calm the rising anxiety.

She needed a place to calm down and compose herself. Fresh air would be most welcoming but a quick glance at the balcony revealed the space to be quite crowded and so Rose decided to duck inside the ladies’ room instead.     

Her wedding dress was puffy with layered tulles but nothing too dramatic. Rose chose a dress with classic bohemian floral lace appliques on the long sleeves. The high neck gown kept her comfortable and warm.           

Rose gathered her dress in both of her hands and made her way to the ladies’ room. The wedding venue was designed with fanciful bridal dresses in mind and she had plenty of space as she navigated to the large full body mirror in the attached waiting area.

With the professional hair and makeup, Rose could hardly believe that the reflection staring back at her was truly her own. Rose couldn’t be certain if the change had to do with her current life situation.

Things were looking good, the future was full of new possibilities and she was happy.

Paige was in remission and growing stronger each day.

Rose was graduating soon.

And then there was Armitage Hux. Rose couldn’t be happier with her dear Carrot. 

She readjusted the dainty diamond tiara and noticed that another female guest had entered the ladies’ room. Rose surveyed the woman standing next to her via the reflection of the large mirror. The silhouette brunette moved gracefully as she double checked to ensure that her outfit and makeup were still perfectly in place. 

Rose was doing the same in her white wedding dress while Bazine wore a cascading tulle couture gown with a decorated sequin-embellished bustier. The dress was stunning, even Rose took notice of it – along with the fact that it was an eggshell white dress.

A deliberate choice.

To wear a dress in any shade of white to a wedding reception was a bold statement and Rose was certain that Bazine had every intention of making her displeasure known. 

Bazine appeared nonchalance as she applied a layer of lipstick to her lower lip, her focus remained on her own reflection as she spoke softly.

“I supposed congratulations are in order.” Then the lipstick glided across her upper lip. “Hmm.” Bazine pressed her lips together to even out and blend the lipstick's color, her eyes never leaving her own reflection. 

In an almost detached tone with just a touch of absurd amusement in her voice as if the situation was comical and somehow beneath her notice, “I really don’t know what Armitage sees in you.”

“Hmmm. Perhaps he enjoys a novelty experience.” Bazine stowed away her lipstick and turned her attention to her perfectly coiffed hair never once did she make eye contact with the only bride in the room. 

“Did he ever tell you about me?" Bazine asked as she took several steps back to get a better look at her gorgeous eggshell white dress. "We’ve known each other for ages and we move in the same circle. He and I share the same values." Bazine then turn slightly to inspect the back of her dress. She slowly turned her full attention to Rose, her bright hazel eyes unflinching and her voice sickly sweet. 

"I understand what a man like Armitage needs. Birds of a feather flock together. They might stray … for a time … but they always come back to their own kind," Bazine then gave Rose a condescending once over look starting from the delicate diamond tiara on her head and down to her heels. 

Rose had to work hard to contain her laughter. Carrot had told her about Bazine and his suspicion that the willowy brunette wanted his family's fortune to prop up her father's failing business. 

It was clear as day that Bazine was seeding doubts by insinuating that the groom would soon grow tired of Rose and return to her. The mean girl routine was hardly subtle. 

If only Bazine knew the deal between her and her Carrot. 

Before Rose could say anything Bazine made a move to leave but turned back to face Rose just before she reached the bathroom's exit. 

"Oh, where are my manners? Do send my love to Armitage." 

Rose could take the high road but why do so when she could choose pettiness instead.

Rose walked over to block the exit door. Despite her smaller stature, the white wedding dress was big enough to prevent the mean girl from leaving. 

"Why thank you, Bazine. I'll be sure to tell my husband of your kind sentiments. Armie mentioned how close you are to the Hux's family. He said that you're practically his sister. You don't have to worry about Armie. I'll take good care of my husband."

Rose raised her left hand with the pretense of tucking away a stray strand of her hair but the real intention was to flash her diamond wedding ring on her ring finger. She gave a winning smile then turned and exited the bathroom leaving one stunned Bazine behind.

Evidently Bazine was quick to play with fire but she made the mistake of not checking her own strength and as a result got herself burned instead. 

Exiting the ladies’ room Rose saw her sister approached with Doctor Phasma a few steps behind her.

Paige pulled Rose in for a warm embrace, “congrats again my little Ro-Ro,” Paige pulled back slightly to plant a kiss on her younger sister’s cheek. “You’re all grown up now and I’m so very proud of you,” Paige added.

“Thank you, Pae,” Rose replied with a big grin on her face. “Doctor Phasma, I hope you’re enjoying yourself,” Rose turned to address the tall blonde doctor who had been looking after her older sister.

“Very much so. You and Armitage are such gracious hosts,” the doctor answered.

Rose beamed both Doctor Phasma and her older sister a sunny smile.

“It’s getting quite late for me Ro so I’m going to head back.” Paige playfully pinched her younger sister’s cheek before pulling Rose in for another embrace, “my baby sister is the most beautiful bride – ,” Paige whispered softly as if the words were meant for her alone, “thank you for everything, Ro-Ro, you deserve to be happy, little sister.”

Rose’s eyes suddenly felt misty with unshed happy tears. The two sisters bid each other farewell with a promise to visit soon.

The night was growing late, even for standard party time, and Rose thought that they would wrap everything up in the next hour or two.

Rose spotted her dear friend by the dessert table chatting with Kaydel and Jannah, their good friends from Coruscant and also Rose’s bridesmaids. 

Rose scanned the room for the groom and saw that he was having a smoke break on one side of the balcony with his younger cousin. She decided not to intrude on the gentlemen’s little gathering and instead walked over to the dessert table to join her friends.

Balcony

Ben took a long drag from the cigarette stick between his fingers before exhaling out a plume of white smoke. His head tilted up to look longingly at the night sky above.

He and Hux wore similar attire. They both cut a dashing figure in the three-piece black suit.

Ben was Hux’s best man while Kuruk and Trudgen, his buddies from his boarding school days, served as his groomsmen. They all wore matching suits just as the bridesmaids also wore matching white bohemian dresses.

Although the reception was an image crafting event, Rose wanted to sprinkle in old traditions. One such tradition was for the bridesmaids to wear dresses similar to the bride so as to confuse evil spirits.

Hux was happy to oblige his young bride.

The wedding reception was wrapping up and everything proceeded as he had envisioned. Snoke Tico didn’t show his face, it was doubtful that the older man even knew of the reception. But then that was the plan.

All was well.

Hux turned his attention to his younger cousin. Ben Solo was hitting rock bottom – mostly due to his stubborn personality. He knew Ben was trying but Rey Palpatine was equally stubborn.

Hux thought they were a match made in heaven – two highly competent people who apparently shared the same brain cell and were both using said brain cell to quarrel with one another.

Ben Solo was reaching the end of his rope and Hux thought he should throw his cousin a lifeline.

“How are things between you and your lovely wife?” Hux inquired between puffs of smoke.

“Pfff –,” Ben scoffed, “– outside of the family social engagements Rey practically kicked me to the curb,” he added in a gloomy voice.

Hux could only look at his pitiful cousin. He was limited by the terms dictated by his own wife but it was hard to ignore Ben’s pathetic plight.    

“Look … from what I know from Rose, Rey is quite partial to sweets,” Hux exhaled a puff of smoke. “Do what you want with that piece of information.” A companionable silence fell between them. “I think you should know that Rose said something about Rey moving back to London to be closer to her grandfather. I don’t think anything is final yet but if things don’t change between the two of you … well then you probably have two weeks – give or take – to win your wife over.”

“God damn it,” Ben muttered quietly with a soft shake of his head.

“You know … I don’t understand why you won’t just apologize and say that you’re sorry,” Hux asked. It was quite a mystery why Ben stood firm on this particular point.

There was no answer this time. Ben took another drag from his cigarette and simply looked up at the night sky with a billion little stars looking back at him.   

Upper East Side Apartment

It was well past midnight when Hux and Rose made it back to their shared apartment. The clear night sky was still dark but dawn was only a few hours away. The bride and groom collapsed on the bed, utterly exhausted, and still wearing the formal attire from the reception.

Hux rolled to his side with one elbow propping up his dark brown head looking down at Rose who was lying on her back next to him, “well? I told you didn’t I, Kitty … that everything would be fine.” Hux was referring to Rose’s uncle or rather the lack of Snoke’s presence at the reception.

“Yes. Yes you did,” Rose conceded.  

“And?” Hux prompted with his free hand lightly tracing the floral applique of her wedding dress.

“And what?” Rose turned her head to look at her legal husband.

“Shouldn’t I get a reward or something for being right,” Hux mused. A small amused smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Oh, alright, Carrot. What kind of reward do you want?”

“A kiss,” Hux replied without missing a single beat.

“A kiss?” Rose raised her eyebrows. No, no. He wasn’t hers to keep. Not truly.  

They always come back to their own kind

Rose could hear Bazine’s words echoing in her mind before she buried them deep and banished them away.

She had always known that Carrot wasn’t hers to keep and so she would make the most of the time she had with him. She didn’t want things to be weird between the two of them but Rose also didn’t want to deny the kiss he had asked of her and so Rose got up from the bed and pushed Hux down on his back with her straddling him. Then she pouted at him with her lips puckered out so that she could playfully kiss his cheek with loud kissy sound.

Hux permitted Rose to tease him but after a few noisy kisses he rolled her over so that he was now on top with both of her wrists imprisoned in his hands and resting above her head. His face was a few inches from hers and his piercing green eyes clearly conveyed his displeasure.   

“No, Kitty. I want a real kiss.”

That was all Hux said before he leaned down to capture her lips. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 10

Morningside Height

Three Weeks Later   

Late May

The comfortable and airy Saturday spring morning brought a sense of renewal to the city after a long winter. College graduation took place the week prior and Sheev Palpatine could not be more proud of his darling grandchild.

It was quite impossible to stop Rey’s grandpa from fawning over the summa cum laude written on her diploma. As an heiress, a college degree was not a requirement per se but Rey could do as she pleased and her dear grandpa was supportive of Rey’s decisions. 

Sheev Palpatine was ecstatic when Rey informed him that she would be moving back to London to be closer to him and to start taking a more active role with the family’s expansive empire. 

“My dear, since you just completed your degree –,” Sheev lifted his cup of freshly brewed black coffee to his lips and blew air over the hot drink, “– I think you should take a little break. Have a little fun with your friends. Perhaps travel a bit. You and your friend, Rose, could take a trip around the continent together. There is no rush to start working.”

The two were enjoying a lovely brunch at a trendy restaurant not too far from Rey’s dorm. Sheev looked over across the table at his granddaughter who was staring blankly at her cup of latte. With the mild spring weather, Rey wore a white knitted sweater and a pair of skinny blue jeans while Sheev had on a gray sweater vest over a white long sleeve oxford shirt.

The hired movers were finishing up their work packing Rey’s belongings. They were scheduled to fly out tonight in her grandpa’s private plane.

Rey wanted to be closer to her family. She didn’t need to work, could simply delegate the tasks to others but Rey wanted to earn her place moving up the company’s ranks. It was the reason that she double majored in business and economics.

Everything was fine.

Well … academically and professionally … things were fine.  

Her personal life, on the other hand, was a big mess.

Ben Solo had never once apologized to her or explained why he took on an assumed name when they first met. Rey had to accept that their relationship was now over.

It couldn’t go on forever. Not as things were between them.

She had tried to make things work but Ben was still holding something back. Rey felt it deep in her bones despite Ben’s best attempt to reassure her that there was nothing to worry about.

A few weeks ago at Rose and Hux’s wedding reception Rey had asked Ben for the whole truth but the man refused to address her concerns.  Looking at the bride and groom throughout the wedding reception, it was difficult for Rey to believe that Rose and Hux were simply playing a role. There was a sense of easiness and Rey caught glimpses of small intimate gestures that the two shared especially when they thought no one was looking.

The warm affection between them felt … too real.

There was trust and shared understanding.   

The same couldn’t be said about her own relationship with Ben Solo.

Rey sighed. Feeling depleted. Like a balloon struggling to float with not enough helium inside.  

Everything was so confusing.

She couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t.

Rey thought that she was falling in love … with Kylo Ren.

Maybe it was love. Maybe she did fell. She didn’t know.

Things had developed so fast. But before she had a chance to examine her feeling, the next thing she knew, Kylo Ren suddenly turned into Ben Solo – or rather turned back into Ben Solo, a no good lying snake.

So was the love she felt real? She had ended things with him but still even now she missed him.

“Rey,” Grandpa Palpatine called her name once more, “Rey, my dear – did you hear what I said?” the elder Palpatine studied his granddaughter’s gloomy face.              

“My dear child, is something the matter?”

“I’m sorry grandpa.” Rey plastered on a smile. “I was just … thinking.”

“Is this about young Solo?” Grandpa Palpatine inquired, “I should have buried that pup when he made you cry that first time.” It was a missed opportunity on his part and he was keen on remedying the oversight.

“I –” Rey was rudely interrupted when a booming male voice cut her off.

Ben almost crashed into her table, his forceful stride reminiscent of a tsunami tidal wave. He shoved his phone with a messaging app opened in front of Rey. “What do you mean by this?”

“Now see here, young Solo,” Grandpa Palpatine interjected on his granddaughter’s behalf, “I don’t think I care for that kind of tone –”

Turning his head slightly Ben acknowledged Sheev for the first time with a curt nod, “I’m sorry Sheev, I’m going to need to speak with Rey in private.” Without waiting for a response, Ben practically dragged Rey away from the table.

Since the Palpatines were sitting outdoors on the side patio there really wasn’t very much space for Ben to work with and he and Rey ended up standing a few paces away from Rey’s grandpa. It was enough distance that Sheev couldn’t overhear the conversation between the younglings.

Rey didn’t appreciate being manhandled and shrugged away from Ben’s grip at the first opportunity. This created some needed space between them. “What do you want? I thought I was pretty clear in the texts I sent you.”

“What? This?” Ben once again shoved his phone in front of Rey’s face with his other hand pointing to the screen. “Is this some kind of a sick joke?”

“No, Ben. It’s all real.”

“Are you seriously breaking up with me again?” Ben’s voice became louder with his growing frustration. “AND via text!!! Just un-fucking-believable!!!”

“It’s not working out, Ben. I told you before that honesty is important to me and you are still keeping things from me.” Rey explained calmly. At least one of them had to be the adult in this situation.

“I thought we talked about this, Rey. There’s no secret. You’re still holding on … let go! ”

It was the last straw. Ben was still in denial, still keeping something hidden from her.

“I don’t believe you!” Now Rey was irritated. “And for the record we never talk about it. I asked you why you had lied to me and you hedged … you never answer the question. And if we’re going to do this, I want to remind you that you’ve never ONCE gave me an apology!”

Rey raised her eyebrows defiantly, “not so chatty now are we? … now you have nothing to say? Well this is exactly why there is no future for us. I’ll contact my attorneys once I get to London and they’ll take care of all the legal stuff.”

Ben remained stoic. “There is no secret, Rey,” Ben implored. “I’m not hiding anything.”

“Goodbye, Ben.”

So this was it, Ben thought. Rey was really leaving him. He was looking at her back as she turned away from him. Panic set in. He couldn’t possibly let her leave. Not like this.  

“I’m not sorry!” Ben called after, his words halted Rey’s steps and she turned back to him.  

“You want to know why there was never an apology … well there … now you have it. I AM NOT SORRY. Not even one bit.” Ben huffed out a breath. He didn’t want Rey to know that he felt no guilt. 

He knew that that telling Rey would upset her. He was a selfish bastard. He knew it and he was okay with it.  

“You lied to me for two years, Ben, and you mean to tell me that you feel nothing… no remorse? None at all?”

This was the very confrontation that Ben had wanted to avoid but now there was no turning back. He didn’t want to lose Rey. “I have no regret and no remorse.”

Ben lifted his hand and raked it through his dark hair, “When we first met, you didn’t even look at me before you kicked me out of your life. In the literal sense.” He gave her a pointed look.

“You were dead set against meeting Ben Solo and the only way I could even get close to you was to become Kylo Ren. So you see, no, I am not sorry for the things I did. The time I had with you was only possible because of the deception. They were the best two years of my life and so no, Rey. No.” Ben shook his head, “No. I will not apologize for lying.”

Rey stood rooted to the ground. She searched his dark eyes for any sign of deception.

“I never meant to hurt you,” Ben let out a frustrated sigh. “I know you’d be upset. I know it’s not the most honorable thing to do but if I could go back and do it all over again, I would not change a thing. If it meant being with you, it didn’t matter to me which name I go by.” Ben looked down at Rey who had her arms crossed over her chest studying him intensely with her hazel eyes.

“You still don’t get it, do you? Nothing else matter to me. Just you.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Rey found his explanation still lacking. “If that’s true, why did you keep on lying? Did you enjoy seeing me so oblivious?”

“Because I fucking love you, that’s why!” Ben’s booming voice seemingly echoed around the two of them. “I didn’t want you to leave. I knew you’d be upset with me. Just as you are now.”

“Oh.”

Rey was momentarily stunned. It was the first time Ben had said that he loved her. Ben’s reasoning was pretty egotistical and quite patronizing but she would deal with them later.

“You’re right. I am upset,” Rey tilted her head back, “is there anything else that you’re not telling me?” Rey asked once her brain could process critical thinking once more.

“No.”      

Rey studied the face of her former sugar daddy and saw visible signs of distress, the shadows under his eyes, the deep frown lines. They all pointed to the fact that he was telling her the truth.

“Okay,” said Rey with her mind made up.

She would have to address his deeply flawed reasoning later but the fact that Ben had said that he loved her was enough for now. They were finally making progress and being honest for a start.  

“Okay … what?” Ben asked tentatively.

“Us! We could both try again if you can promise me that you won’t keep anything from me even if you think it will upset me.”

Ben’s dark eyes went wide, “I promise.”

Rey smiled at his words, “Good! Now that we’re official again, you should meet my grandpa!” Rey then pulled his arm and led him back to the table where Sheev Palpatine sat. 

“Grandpa, this is Ben Solo, my husband. We just worked through a few issues and everything is good now,” Rey started the introductions, beamed a sunny smile to both men then settled down.

“Young Solo,” Grandpa Palpatine nodded his head to acknowledge the presence of the younger man and stared straight into Ben’s dark eyes. “If you make my granddaughter cry again, I want you to know that I will bury you. By myself and with my bare hands. Age notwithstanding.”

“Understood. Sir,” Ben replied and sat up with his spine ramrod straight.

He didn’t know if Sheev meant ‘bury’ in the metaphorical sense or in the literal sense but it didn’t matter. While he was not sorry about lying to Rey, it pained him to know that his deception caused her distress.

Now that they were starting over with a clean slate, Ben vowed to never hurt Rey again.

Upper East Side

Around the Same Time

The buzzing sound of a phone’s vibration could be heard in the bedroom as it was left unattended. It was late morning but not yet midday and Hux and Rose were sleeping in as they both executed marital duties late into the night.

Hux blindly reached for his phone on the nightstand. He had to blink several times to refocus his eyes. Once he unlocked his phone, he saw that he had over twenty missed calls and over thirty unread messages from his father’s personal driver.  

Deciding to check his texts, Hux saw that the first one was sent about half an hour ago. Then his eyes narrowed, he had to think fast.

There was no time to waste.

Hux looked down at the sleeping Rose lying next to him. He shook Rose’s shoulder in order to wake her up. “Kitty.”

“Hmmmm, what is it?”

“You need to wake up, Kitty.” Hux’s voice was firm and full of concerns.

“Okay, I’m up,” Rose sat up on the bed, rubbed the sleep from her eyes with fisted hands, and tried to smooth the tangled mess that was her hair.  

“My father is on his way here. He’ll be here any minute now.”

“Oh! Let me go wash my face and change into a new shir–” Rose was interrupted by Hux’s fierce objection, “No.”

“No. You have to listen to me carefully,” Hux took a deep breath.

Rose turned her face to look at her husband, giving him her full attention. She didn’t like that her Carrot’s voice was strained and filled with anxiety. 

“I don’t know how to say this,” Hux eyes were pained. “It’s not safe for you.”

“What?” Rose did not expect to be hit with the cryptic information.

“A few weeks ago I took something from him. I’m sure he’s here to get it back.”

“Okay, so I should change out of my clothes,” Rose made a move to get down from the bed. If her father-in-law was coming to visit then she should be presentable.

Just then the doorbell rang followed by loud banging on the door. Hux roughly pulled Rose from the bed and they headed to the large bedroom closet. Hux quickly deposited Rose inside.

“Stay in the closet. Don’t make any noise and don’t come out until I come and get you. Do you understand what I’m telling you?” Hux asked. His voice somber and severe. It was important for Rose to be out of sight. He didn’t know if his father would extend the abuse to his wife.

Although Rose didn’t fully comprehend the situation, she knew enough that it was serious and important to Hux and so she nodded her head while the loud banging of the front door continued.

“I need to hear the words, Kitty.”

“I understand.”

Hux closed the closet and made his way to the front door mentally bracing himself for what he knew would soon follow. Once the door swung open, an enraged Brendol stormed inside.       

“Where is it?” the elder Hux asked, “where did you put it?”

Without greeting his son, Brendol stomped around the apartment knocking several decors down to the floor as he searched for the precious family photo.

Rose remained quiet as per Hux’s instruction but she could hear Brendol’s footsteps as he entered the bedroom, walked around, gave a cursory scan of the room and then exited a short time later. The closet’s small gap between the doors provided Rose a partial view of the living room through the bedroom’s doorframe. 

“Where’s your wife?” Brendol asked.

“She’s not here,” Hux answered keeping his voice casual.

“Where is it?” Brendol repeated his question. More urgently this time around.  

Hux drew his father’s attention away from the bedroom and walked to his work desk in the common room. Hux picked up the frame with the photo in question before it was snatched away.

Brendol held the frame in one hand and his dark countenance turned even darker. It was devoid of emotion saved for one – contempt.

“I just want to be in the family picture,” Hux said in an almost whisper. His voice boyish.  

Hux’s word must have triggered something in his father. The next thing he felt was a fist to his face followed by more violent physical contact. At some point he was knocked down to the floor.     

“This does NOT belong to you!” Brendol shouted as he repeatedly kicked his son with his black leather boots. “You know full well how I hate your red hair! How it reminds me of Lyra!”

Hux lied motionless on his side as his father paused the physical assault to catch his breath.

Brendol was beginning to feel his age and the exertion tired him. He removed the photo from the frame and folded one side of the picture back. The old deep crease made it easy to bend the photo and eliminated baby Hux from the family picture.

“You’re a disappointment to the Hux name,” Brendol declared with unmistakable disdain in voice. “Utterly useless and pathetic. It should have been you instead of my dear boy. Braxton would have made me proud.” He glided his finger over the image of his wife and eldest son.

With the photo clutched firmly in his hand, Brendol made his exit just as quickly as he made his entrance, leaving a bruised and bloody younger Hux curled up on the living room floor.

The apartment’s door slammed shut with a loud thud and a tensed stillness fell over the entire unit. Rose was finally able to eased away both of her hands from covering her mouth. She couldn’t see what transpired between father and son but she heard Brendol’s venomous words clearly enough and the unmistakable physical assault.

Rose knew that Hux wanted her to remain hidden but Rose heard the door slammed shut and there was no sign of movement anywhere in the apartment and so she decided to leave the closet to check on Hux. She rushed to his side and saw that he lay motionless on the floor next to the sofa with his arms wrapped around himself.

She checked his face and her eyes suddenly became misty. Hux hadn’t even put up a fight against his father.

He was sporting bloody cuts on his lips and had several red marks on his face and arms. There were also several shoeprint impressions on his white nightshirt.

Rose plopped down on her knees right on the floor next to him, lifted his head to rest on her laps as she gently caressed his dark brown hair. Fresh tears streamed down her face. Rose didn’t know what to say. Didn’t even know how to begin.

Hux turned his face away from Rose’s gaze and buried his face against her stomach. “I don’t want you to see me this way –” he murmured, his voice slightly muffled.  

Rose continued to gently caress his hair. She wanted to comfort her Carrot but didn’t quite know how to go about doing so without hurting him further.  

“– a pathetic weakling,” Hux spat out the words with such self-hatred that her heart broke for him. “Do you pity now?” he asked before adding, “I don’t want your pity.”

Then there was a deafening silence between them.

“How long?” Rose broached the question, breaking the quietness of the room, “when did he start hurting you?”

Hux’s face was mostly hidden but Rose needed to know. “No lies, Carrot.”

Hux sighed and winced from the pain. He promised Rose that he would always give her the truth and he meant to keep his word. “After the accident, after my mom and brother passed. It wasn’t bad at first just a push and a shove when he was irritated. Or when he grieved. He took a special dislike to my red hair. It made him angry because it reminds him of my mom so I had it dyed. Over time his temper got worse … I don’t know.”

If it was possible her heart shattered into even smaller pieces. Her Carrot was so young when his father turned on him. She couldn’t imagine the pain, the confusion, the betrayal, and the loneliness he must have felt … all these years … suffering in secret with no one to comfort him. 

Rose wanted to ask why he didn’t fight back, why not defend himself? why not report the abuse? but then she didn’t have to ask. She already knew the answer. Hux’s father was his last remaining family. She of all people knew how scary it was to navigate the world all alone.

“Carrot,” Rose whispered through teary eyes, “I could never pity you. I pity your father for his stupidity. How could he say those cruel words to you when they were blatant lies. You don’t believe his words, do you?”

“It’s hard not to. I’ve heard them so many times and for so long. Sometimes I do wonder – ”

“No! you are none of those things, Carrot. I was young but I remember loving your ginger hair.”

“Kitty, you don’t have to say sweet white lies just to comfort me.”

“But I’m being honest,” Rose used her hand to turn Hux’s face away from her stomach so that he could see her sincerity. “Your father is just a coward and you are nothing like him. You’re more of a man than he’ll ever be.” Thinking about the little boy that Hux was and his father abusing him made her angry. “I won’t let him hurt you again.”

Her heart was palpitating. Parents were supposed to protect and care for their children. No child should have to grow up fearful of his or her parents.

Life was so unfair. It was almost unbearable.     

“Carrot, I want you to know that you mean the world to me and I’ll always be here for you.” Rose scrunched up her eyebrows and in a voice full of determination Rose added, “He won’t hurt you again. I won’t let him.”

Hux never considered himself to be an emotional person but his eyes were watery. After losing his mother and older brother, he lost the two protectors in his life. He had existed without one these long years and now … this petite woman self-declared herself to be his personal champion.

Her fierceness and her anger on his behalf soothed his broken soul. 

He didn’t realize until now that he had been desperate for someone to care.

For someone to look at him like he matter.

Then he felt it again. That strange warm fuzzy feeling in the middle of his chest. What could it be, he wondered?

Four Months Later

Haysian International Holding

Quarterly Board Meeting

London – December  

Snoke Tico sat at his work desk inside the spacious office located in the central London, right by the Lincoln’s Inn Field. He had a streak of white hair running down his left temple that stood out against the rest of his neatly groomed short wavy gray hair.  

The quarterly board meeting was due to begin in the next hour and Snoke wanted to review the quarterly earnings and then there was the new project to renovate one of the older hotels.

Another item on the agenda was to finalize a vote on the business deal with the Bespin Group and what to do with the five new hotel locations that came with the merger.

He was in the middle of reading one of the reports when his office door sudden burst opened and an unexpected guest waltzed in.

Armitage Hux.

Young Hux was no stranger to him as they had collaborated in the past. Snoke considered himself to be good friends with the elder Hux. So this particular visit while it was highly unusual … it didn’t raise an immediate red flag.  

Although the Hux family had an eighteen percent stake in the company’s shares, they typically sat out the meetings and simply went along with the majority’s decisions – which were Snoke’s.

“Armitage,” Snoke put down his tablet, leaned back against his black leather chair, and looked up at the younger man with medium length ginger hair. “What brings you in town today?”

Hux surveyed Rose’s uncle. Snoke was an unremarkable middle aged male with graying hair. The older man remained seated but Hux knew Snoke to be a tall man with a slight built.

“I’m here on business,” Hux replied casually as he strolled inside and deposited a thick folder on the table in front of the visibly confused Snoke.

“And what’s this?” Snoke asked as he opened the folder to sift through the content inside.

“That’s your retirement agreement, Snoke. I’m sure it’s more than generous.”

“Reti … agr agreement?” Snoke sputtered. Now he was more confused than anything else. “Young man. I don’t think you have the right person. I’m not planning to retire anytime soon.”

Hux stood firm, “read the document,” his face expressionless as he spoke. “An old man like yourself should make the most of his golden years. I know you have the seaside resort from Storm. You could retire there.”

The next few minutes were tensed as Snoke studied the papers that Hux handed him earlier.

No. No. No.

Impossible

“There is no need to worry, old man. The company is in good hands. The transfer of shares was finally completed yesterday,” Hux explained in a patronizing tone while projecting an air of ennui along with boredom.

“Did you really think you could dethrone me?” Snoke shook his head in disbelief.

“I’m merely letting you retire early … for your health,” Hux added.

“This company is mine!”

“Not according to the law,” Hux calmly gestured to the folder on the work desk.

“I’m the legal guardians of the girls!”

Snoke abruptly stood up from his leather chair, his pale face reddened as he fumed.

“Correction, old man. You were their legal guardian. Your conservatorship along with thirty-four percent of the company’s shares ended when Rose Tico became my legal wife.”

“No. When? How have I not heard anything of it?”

“We sent you an invitation back in May. I believed we sent it to the resort in Northumberland.” Hux then made a show of adjusting the gold wedding band on his ring finger.

“I’m the new majority shareholder and I think the company needs new blood. You could say a fresh perspective,” Hux added.

“You’ve been working for a long time. You’re not as young as you used to be and I think it is in the best interests of the company for you to step aside and let the new generation takes control of the helm.” Hux walked over to the office window with green curtains overlooking the park outside. Early December was a festive time in London with seasonal decorations.  

“You’ve had a great run. It’s time to step back now, old chap.”

“Rabid cur!” Snoke derided, “step back? It sounds more like you’re getting rid of me.”  

“Believe what you want,” Hux raised his shoulders, “it matters not to me.” He kept his voice steady but always made sure to infuse a touch of malice and disdain to words he uttered.  

“How did you convince my foolish niece to transfer her shares to you, hmm?” Snoke asked.

He should have kept a closer eye on the stupid girls. He had grown complacent. Had reached a point where he thought the sisters were no longer a threat. Snoke only had himself to blame.

“Rose?” Hux then laughed. “It wasn’t all that difficult to make her fall for me. What with her difficult life growing up on the run. Living in poverty.” Hux shrugged dismissively as he listed Rose’s vulnerabilities.   

“I simply filled her head with some sugary flowery nonsense and the poor girl gobbled it all up.” He shifted his impassive green eyes back to the older man. “The marriage is legal. The transfer of the company’s shares to my name is also legal. This is it, Snoke. It ends here.”

Snoke refused to take it lying down. He didn’t do all the things he did just to be kicked to the curb by a young upstart, a green pup, like Armitage Hux. He didn’t understand why Hux would want the Haysian company when he was to inherit Brendol Hux’s international holding.  

“You have your own company to inherit. Why take an interest in mine?” Snoke inquired.

Hux raised his eyebrows, “more is more. The more the merrier or so they all say.” Then almost as an afterthought Hux noted, “And this way I can finally leave my father’s shadow.”

“This is a dangerous game you’re playing, young Hux. This company is MINE!”

“You retain the shares that Storm Tico gave you as part of your inheritance and the seaside hotel,” Hux informed the older man.

“I am NOT leaving! You don’t know what I’ve done. What I’m capable of doing,” Snoke’s voice was full of spite. “I got rid of them,” he paused to stare Hux down, “I can get rid of you.”

“You’re just bluffing. Everyone knows it was a tragic accident,” Hux egged, downplaying Snoke’s serious claim.   

Snoke’s smug smile was on full display, “that night,” his voice menacing with a barely contained rage simmering below the surface. “The three of them thought I was giving them a tour of the construction site. I thought the girls would be there too but they had dance lesson and so I could only get rid of the three.” Snoke let out a mirthless laugh recalling the last moments he had with his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew. “The jammed electric door … it was me. I programed it to malfunction. I planned the fire. They were trapped … because of me.”

“Your ruthless reputation extends beyond the business world – an ambitious man – I could respect that but … really,” Hux tilted his head to one side and whistled, “your own brother. You had your own inheritance and resort to manage.” While Snoke had confirmed Hux’s suspicion, he still didn’t understand why the older man had to resort to murder.   

“FOUR percent!” Snoke shouted. “That was all he gave me! My own father. Everything went to Hue, his favorite son – the golden child. It was an insult! I am the eldest! Why should Hue get everything? The company is mine – my birthright!”

And there it was – greed – a motivator as old as time immemorial. That and envy. Rightly or wrongly, it was clear that Snoke was envious of his younger brother.

“It seems that my niece inherited her father’s stupidity and senselessness for her to fall for the likes of you.” The contempt radiating from Snoke was palpable, “people who get in my way have a habit of ending up dead. I’ll eliminate everyone,” he then sneered, “you – Rose – Paige.”

Hux showed no emotion as he turned his green eyes to look at the older man, “Do as you please, old man. Rose means nothing to me. I already got her shares of the company.” In a bored tone, as if their conversation was tedious, he added, “dead or alive, she’s worth the same to me.”   

“Better watch your back, cur.” Snoke spat the words out. 

Just then a petite figure appeared just outside of the office’s door frame, her expression as dark as the modest black tailored dress she wore. It was a stark contrast to the shine of the white gold tone of the heart shaped locket around her neck.

Her sorrowful brown eyes were misty and sparkled with unshed tears.  

“What you just said, did you mean them?” She blinked away the tears, “were they all true?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 11 

Snoke’s Office

A chorus of low murmuring could be heard behind Rose Tico as crowds gathered and it slowly dawned on Snoke that his conversation with Armitage Hux was perhaps not as private as he had first thought.

His niece’s voice pulled his attention back on her.   

“What you just said, did you mean them?” Rose blinked away the tears, “were they all true?”

“Rose … my dear girl,” Snoke gave a small nervous laugh as if he wasn’t quite sure how to proceed with the current situation. “Your visit is unexpected. But you must know that you are always welcomed here.”  

“Spare me the lies, uncle!”

Rose couldn’t hold back her volatile emotions and made quick strides over to where her uncle was standing. She wanted to strike him, to shake him, to punish him for all the pain he had caused. But her plan was interrupted when Hux appeared behind her and held her back with one arm across her abdomen. He whispered something soothing to her but Rose could barely hear his words with the intense emotions boiling inside of her.

With Rose out of the doorframe, more people stepped inside the office and the murmuring was now turning into a low conversation.

“They all heard you, old man,” Hux then use his one free hand to point to the video camera mounted to the ceiling. “I asked a favor and they remotely accessed your camera.” It was a standard issued camera that had been part of Snoke’s office for many years and was used for his virtual meetings.

“Our conversation was seen and heard in the main conference room.”

Snoke staggered backward and shook his head, not wanting to face his current reality. He had to think of something fast to turn the tides in his favor.

“Shame on you, Snoke,” Domaric Quinn, a middle aged man with dark hair spoke up from behind Rose. “We all grieved with you when Hue passed. To think that you were the one to orchestrate the tragedy.” Quinn’s tone was a mix of disappointment, disbelief, and sheer horror.

“How could you murder your own brother?” Bellava Parnadee questioned her business partner. She knew Snoke to be an ambitious man but to kill your own family … it was unthinkable.  

“No!” Snoke exclaimed.

“No … no you don’t understand,” he gave a tensed laugh to mask the uneasy feeling in the room. “I was just bluffing to young Hux here. I just … I just didn’t want him to force me into retirement.” Snoke then looked around the room in hope that some of the board members and business partners would rally behind him.

That perhaps … some might still believe his version of events.

Masir Trach, Frantis Griss, and Enric Pryde along with the others in the room were all shaking their heads and talking amongst themselves. It was difficult for them to believe that Snoke was simply bluffing.

They all heard the conversation.  

And for starter, there were too many details for a supposedly makeup story when Snoke thought he was speaking privately with young Hux.

For another, his current demeanors were suspicious.

“You’re a monster,” Pryde spit out the words. “I’m going to have to notify the authorities. That night I vouched for you. You were playing chess at my house. My wife even cooked for you. If you did what you said you did, well, I don’t want to be an accessory to murder!” Then Pryde walked out into the hallway to make the phone call.

Snoke made a move to follow Pryde out but a number of his soon to be former business partners blocked his path with their bodies.

“You’re not going anywhere, Snoke,” Parnadee crossed her arms across her chest.

Snoke stood firm facing his colleagues, “You don’t actually believe that I kill my brother and his family, do you?” The tension in the room grew. “Come now, it was only a story!”

Masir Trach, a middle aged man in a gray suit gave Snoke a disapproval look. “Have a seat, mate. We’re going to wait for the authorities to sort this out. If you’re innocent then there is nothing to worry about.”

Hux whisked Rose away from Snoke’s office. He knew that Snoke wouldn’t divulge any more information now that the authorities were involved and he didn’t want Rose to hear any more painful deceptive words from her uncle.

The conversation with Snoke took several months to prepare. Hux studied the profile of each board member and made contact with the ones he thought would be most willing to entertain the theory of Snoke as the mastermind behind Hue’s murder.

Parnadee and Quinn weren’t completely sold on the idea but they were willing enough to help Hux set the stage for the conversation. It was Parnadee who gave the IT department permission to remotely access the camera in Snoke’s office and linked it to the main conference room.

Hux turned to survey his wife’s pale face. Rose hadn’t said a word since they left her uncle’s office. He could see the sadness in her dull brown eyes. Even without words between them he knew the source of Rose’s sorrow but there was nothing he could do to chase the sadness away.

Because there was no way to bring back the dead. He couldn’t return Rose’s parents and older brother back to her and his heart broke once more.   

“Paige was right,” Rose pressed one fisted hand over her heart, “She was right all along. Uncle Snoke meant us harm. He wanted to kill me and Paige,” Rose spoke the words to no one in particular. Her eyes had a faraway and vacant look with fresh tears spilling out.

Her uncle was never the openly affectionate type but Rose remembered the good times. She had fond memories of uncle Snoke at birthday parties and family gatherings. He was a part of her family but now those memories were tainted.

“I’m so sorry, Kitty.” Hux pulled Rose into the safety of his arms.

He knew it wasn’t much. The small comfort that he offered couldn’t possibly match the loss she felt. It was one thing to grieve the loss of your family thinking their deaths were accidental and another to know your loved ones were murdered by the one person you thought they could trust.

“Carrot,” Rose whispered with her barely audible shaky voice.

“Yes, Kitty.”

“Thank you. For everything.”

“I did promise that I’ll take good care of you, Kitty. I meant every word of it.”

“I know, Carrot,” Rose took a deep breath, “I know and I am so thankful for you.”               

 --------------------------------------------------------------------

Afternoon Tea at the Dorchester

One Week Later

London

Rose walked inside the grand entrance of the Dorchester Hotel. The gigantic bouquets of flowers greeted her followed by towering marbled-effect pillars in the Promenade that lead to the afternoon tea seating area.

The journey to London had been kept a secret as to not arouse suspicion from Rose’s uncle but once the confrontation occurred, it was impossible to keep things private with the onslaught of the media attention that followed.

Snoke had been formally charged with the murder of Hue, Thanya, and Anthony Tico and was held in jail pending his court date. There was sufficient evidence to keep the older man under lock and keys and twenty-four hours surveillance.

The media was having a field day with Snoke’s case dubbing him the “the Familicide Psycho.”

Once Rey heard the news, she had rushed to Rose’s side and offered her condolences along with any help that Rose may need with the coming legal battles.   

Things had calmed down after a week of frenzy media storm and Rose had time to process everything that occurred in the short time.

She had visited her family’s graves with bouquets of red poppy flowers honoring their memories that would live on through her.    

Rose cried copious amount of tears, she grieved, she mourned, she reminisced, she remembered.

And she was grateful that she wasn’t alone.

Carrot was right next to her through all of it, carrying her when her own strengths gave out.

Seeing that Rose could use a break, Rey had suggested a day of rest away from all the businesses that needed her attention. And what better way to rest than to enjoy London. Rey made a reservation for a quiet afternoon tea at the Dorchester. It was her favorite place with exceptional service.

“How are you feeling, Rose,” Rey asked as they sipped their tea in dainty porcelain teacups.

“Oh, I’m doing alright. Keeping busy.” Rose was being reintroduced to the company her grandfather had built that was now legally hers. Hux was advising her on some business decisions but for the most part the senior executives covered the work that was previously performed by her uncle.

Truth be told, Rose was glad of the warm welcome she received but she didn’t think that running the conglomerate was her thing. She was an engineer and while she liked working in a hotel setting … but … well … there was a lot time to sort through her thoughts.

“I’m more interested in what you two are up to. I just received the invitation to your wedding reception … umm vow renewal thingy … congrats!” Rose beamed her friends a bright smile. With so many sad and stressful events… it was such a lovely surprise to know that there was something lovely and joyful to look forward to.

“I thought you didn’t like sand or the sea for that matter,” Hux asked as he chewed on a cucumber sandwich.

“I don’t,” Ben replied in a matter of fact tone.

“You don’t?” Rey turned to look at her husband with her wide hazel eyes. “I didn’t know that! Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Your grandfather was adamant that he host the big event on his private island,” Ben then casually shrugged his broad shoulders.

“So you just agreed? … without proposing an alternative venue?” Hux was perplexed. It wasn’t like his younger cousin to simply acquiesce to a deal that put him at a disadvantage position.

“Bro,” Ben shook his head slowly, “Bro … you do not understand the duress I was under. Sheev can be extremely convincing.”

He chanced a quick glance at his wife sitting right next to him and continued in a low conspiratorial tone with his body leaning toward the center of the table, “Not too long ago Sheev said that he’d bury me with his bare hands the next time I displease my wife here … and just between us … well I don’t intend for Sheev to clarify what he actually meant … okay?.”

Ben’s confession prompted a round laughter from the group.

In a jovial good natured tone Ben added, “You all can laugh now but I’d much preferred a few days with the sea and the sand than spend the rest of my days six feet under … yeah?”

“I didn’t know that the Palpatine family holds such power,” Hux said with a smidgen of pity. Ben was old enough to forge his own path and if this was where he wanted to be then it was his choice.

“On the contrary, I never doubted. I knew that you’d have it all, Rey. You clearly control a Skywalker and as such you control the universe,” Rose voiced her observation. It was clear for all to see.

“Is that true?” Rey turned to face her husband with a knowing look like they were privy to a shared intimate inside joke just between the two of them. “The whole universe?”

“I think Rose is on to something,” Ben replied.

Rey gifted Ben with a sunny smile as she leaned in for a kiss.

But just before their lips touched, “Uh hum!” Hux made an exaggerated sound of clearing his throat. “I think it might have escaped your attention but there is this thing called public decency and decorum.”

Ben gave a sheepish smile after placing a quick kiss but otherwise he let the moment pass.

Rose clicked her tongue and shook her head. “What a stick-in-the-mud you are!” Rose lightly pinched Hux’s cheek. “It’s just a little kiss, Carrot. Hardly indecent.”

“Kitty, that hurts,” Hux whined as he rubbed the sting on his cheek with the back of his hand. He didn’t think he was overreacting. Someone had to be the sensible one in their group.

It didn’t help that Rose stuck out her pink tongue at him acting all indifference to his pain. Hux found the whole scene to be juvenile and adorable at the same time. He inwardly sighed. He must be losing his goddamn mind.

“You know, you never did explain how you two got your pet names?” Rey’s question broke up the little fight between Hux and Rose. Rey guessed it had something to do with Hux’s hair. 

“It’s actually a funny story,” Rose replied with excitement and began to recount the story of how Hux came to be known as Carrot and she as Kitty.  

The four friends spent the day in each other’s company catching up while Rey took great pleasure showing her dear friend, Rose, the city that she grew up in.

They made a stop a popular museum and visited several cafés along the way before ending their day at a trendy restaurant in Marylebone.

Despite the tragedy of her family, Rose was grateful to have people she could count on to be there for her. Rose had only known Rey for four years but the bonds between them were strong and genuine.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Last Week of December

About Three Weeks Later  

For the past three weeks or so Hux was busy with his own work back in New York keeping odd hours but took great care to introduce Rose to the senior executives and key business partners as well as top investors at her father’s … no the company was now hers and Paige’s.

Hux flew Thanisson, his loyal assistant, to London to further aid the transition of power. Rose took an immediate liking to young Thanisson. She could see why Hux spoke so highly of his personal assistant as they both operated on the same wavelength with the same serious business conviction.

She and Hux were staying at his London apartment not too far from where her company was situated. This morning Rose woke up and couldn’t locate Hux anywhere in the apartment.

Rose hadn’t seen him since the big board meeting at noon the previous day.

At first she didn’t think anything of it. Hux had set up an office at her company and occasionally he would work late into the night on his New York project and she wouldn’t see him again until the next day.

But now she couldn’t find him at work either and was beginning to worry.

To be perfectly honest, Rose had missed his company.

As she made her way down the hallway Rose spotted Hux’s assistant. It was perfect timing, perhaps young Thanisson could enlighten her of Carrot’s whereabouts since she had looked everywhere for him to no avail.      

“Gone?” Rose’s voice was slightly elevated. She was flustered and couldn’t contain her surprise.  

“What do you mean he’s gone away?” 

Pure confusion set in. Nothing that Thanisson said made sense. Rose knew the young blonde man was speaking words to her. Words that she knew were associated with meaning but Rose couldn’t focus long enough for the words to register. 

Despite Thanisson’s calm and deferential voice, Rose didn’t understand why he would leave her? 

Thanisson didn’t quite know what to say to his boss’ wife. Rose was visibly upset but Thanisson didn’t have comforting words to offer the young madam. Armitage Hux was a man of few words and his boss only gave him one task to perform.  

“Before he left London, he requested that I give you this.” With great care, Thanisson handed a large sand colored envelope to Rose.    

“What is it?”  

“There is a note inside the envelope, Ma’am. Mr. Hux said that you would understand.” 

Rose looked down at the large beige envelope now in her hands. The weight of it matched the heaviness she felt in her heart. Rose broke the seal and pulled out a large stack of legal documents. 

Before she could get to the note, the bold prints of the legal document caught her attention. 

The confusion didn’t disappear but now it needed to make room as anger and annoyance had just joined the chat. 

Irretrievable breakdown? 

Carrot was divorcing her because of irretrievable breakdown? The man was impossible! But it would explain the dark vibes he had been projecting for the past few days.  

Did Carrot really think that he could push her away this way? Rose didn’t know if she wanted to laugh or cry or cry-laughing, “you’re so stupid, Carrot,” she murmured, her emotions were all over the place. But one thing she knew for sure was that she wouldn’t let their relationship die this way – quietly and without a fight. 

But first Rose needed to find the stubborn man. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Christmas’ Eve

The Hamptons

New York

Rose was ready for her solo flight. He had introduced her to key allies and Rose was smart. His Rose was more than capable of taking over the work of her rotten uncle. He had seen her picked up new skills with ease.

She had charisma and a drive to succeed.

Rose would be fine.

Hux knew very well that this day would come. It was inevitable. It was in the same category as death and taxes.

He had promised to let her go and so he did.

He had to leave London … couldn’t be there when Rose finally sign the divorce papers. He didn’t think his heart would survive the experience.

To make the matter worse … Hux didn’t know what to say if Rose insisted they remain friends after their divorce.

And so he fled.

Yes, he fled the scene.

He knew he couldn’t avoid Rose forever because despite everything that happened between them he wanted to be there for his Kitty … in any capacity.

His Kitty.

Thinking about Rose pained his black heart. Perhaps with the passage of time, he would be better equipped to deal with such a traumatic event.   

But for now the pain was still too raw … too painful to bear.

Hux had first gone back to the Upper East Side apartment and within thirty seconds inside the unit he had walked back out.

There were too many memories of his Kitty. In the common room, the bedroom, the bathroom, everywhere he looked there was a memory.

And so he had to flee once more. He could have gone back to his bachelor apartment but decided that he needed to leave the city entirely.

Hux asked his driver to make the long drive to the Hamptons. The seven-bedroom mini mansion became available around the same time as the UES apartment when he was house hunting for his then sugar baby.

Hux didn’t think it was a practical purchase since it was so far from the city but for some inexplicable reasons he bought the house.

Now it would serve as his prison.

The only time Hux visited the house was when he made the purchase. He had hired a team of professionals to inspect and furnish the house. At the time he had no intention of living in the Hamptons but he didn’t want the house to feel empty.

Empty houses made him uneasy. They brought back painful memories from his childhood when his home turned deadly quiet after the accident.

It was a brisk Christmas’ Eve and he wanted to spend it alone … wallowing in self-pity.

The housekeeper that he employed to take care of the house stopped by twice a week to check on the property. Hux made a mental note to thank the lady for having the good taste of stocking up his drinking cabinet with a variety of alcoholic beverages from casual wines to gentlemen’s choice of hard liquors.

It was only 3pm in the afternoon but Hux was sure that it was 5 o’clock somewhere and began to self-medicate the pain in his chest with hard liquor.

It was a particularly cold and windy afternoon with early snow falling outside the window but Hux was too numb to feel anything beyond basic survival instincts. It was odd to have snow this early in the season but he didn’t think much of it. He managed to get a fire going in the main living room’s fireplace with the pile of ash firewood that his housekeeper had left there.

The flickering flames and the intermittent crackles of fire provided an almost meditative experience for the broken-hearted man.

He had been drinking for several hours or maybe it was more than several hours Hux didn’t really know. The sky outside his windows had darkened but time moved differently when he was jetlagged from a Trans-Atlantic flight in addition to being completely and utterly wasted.    

He was deliberately drowning in his very own self-pity.

Hux didn’t want to let Rose go. In fact, he wanted to always be with her … but he didn’t have a choice. He had told Kitty that he would let her go, that he would grant her the freedom she wanted and he had to hold true to his words.

There was no other way.

In the past few days he had been thinking back on their relationship and the stupid mind game he played when they first met again as adults.

For a long time Hux wanted to know what Rose’s price was? What would make her abandon her principle? What would it take to ‘buy’ her? He knew it wasn’t wealth or power.

What was it that Rose valued above all else? What could it be?

But then Hux began to think about his own price. He had been so arrogant as to never contemplate his own price … for surely he had one.

Now … what would make him abandon everything he stood for? To abandon all reason? Hux shifted his green eyes to the wedding band on his ring finger. Then the pain in the middle of his chest intensified and so he gulped down another shot of amber liquid.

The bourbon gave a comfortable burn that temporarily numbed the heartache.  

But it wasn’t enough. In his frustration Hux pulled the wedding band off of his ring finger. The sight of it offended him.

It was a stark reminder of everything he wanted that was now lost to him.

But because of the alcohol in his system, the coordination of his hands and fingers had become severely limited and cumbersome. The wedding band came off but ultimately fell to the floor.

Hux saw it rolled back behind the sofa he was sitting on facing the fireplace and so he got up to retrieve the band. The only problem was that he couldn’t really see straight being wasted and all that and so he stumbled on the floor and crawled on all four in the direction of his ring.

Was the sight of him crawling on all four pathetic? … Perhaps … But it didn’t matter. He had abandoned self-respect when he picked up the first bottle hours ago. Might as well be a lifetime ago since he was now half way through the second bottle.

His vision was coming in and out and sometimes he was seeing doubles and triples but that didn’t bother him as much as the fact that he couldn’t locate his precious wedding band.

After an indeterminate time had passed Hux spotted a shiny object ahead of him in the center of the room, he made his way to the ring still on all four but just as he was reaching for the band, another hand picked up the ring from the floor.

Hux noticed for the first time that he wasn’t alone in room. Did he set the alarm system? Oh he couldn’t really think with his current brain so he gave up. He blinked several times to adjust his vision and looked up to see a familiar face.

It was a face he thought he wouldn’t see for some time.

But here she was.

But no, that couldn’t be right.

She couldn’t really be here. She was safe in London several time zones ahead of him with a whole Atlantic ocean between them.

The only logical conclusion was that he was dreaming or hallucinating or something along that line.

Hux thought to himself that he must have miss his soon to be, if not already so, ex-wife, so much that he conjured up her likeness from his memory so that she would comfort him and keep him company.

This was probably the lowest point in his life and so he wouldn’t question his luck too much lest his dream Kitty leave him.  

“Dream Kitty,” Hux mumbled as he gave his Dream Kitty a grinning smile.

“Oh dear,” Rose muttered. “Have you been drinking? How long have you been drinking?” Dream Kitty demanded in a stern voice.

Hux smiled even wider. His Dream Kitty had the same nagging tone as the real Kitty.

“Hmmm since 3”

“3pm!” Dream Kitty exclaimed, “Carrot, have you gone mad? It’s almost midnight!”

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The Next Morning

A ray of bright light woke Hux from his slumber. He inhaled deeply as he registered the throbbing pain around his temples. Hux then pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand noting that his wedding was still on his ring finger. The pain was intensifying gradually but it was something he was expecting.

It was a small price to pay for a brief window of oblivion.

With the amount of alcohol consumed the previous night, there were large gaps in Hux’s memory. For starter, Hux could not remember how he ended up on the very bed he was occupying.

He let out a sigh.

He was sleeping on his right side and even with the duvet coving most of his upper body Hux could tell that he was not wearing any clothing underneath.

He must have discarded his clothing before getting in bed last night. But then … he didn’t actually know.  

His memories from the previous night were hazy at best.

He needed to take a shower but before he could make his next move he felt a weight of sort across his abdomen.

Oh no … no … no … no … no …

It dawned on him that there was another person on the bed with him.   

As he slowly peeled back the duvet, the sight of a feminine hand with manicured red polished nails confirmed his fear.

Oh Dear God.  

He had slept with someone last night.

But with whom … exactly?

Oh for fuck’s sake! … Hux couldn’t remember.

The last thing he recalled was downing his bourbon by the fireplace with snow falling outside his window.

Hux didn’t know any of his neighbors.

Oh no … could it be one of his staff?

Fuck My Life! … It was a new low he didn’t think he could achieve.

Then almost immediately shame flooded his system. His hangover headache was momentarily forgotten. The ink on his divorce paper hadn’t yet dried and here he was committing adultery.

But then again, Hux couldn’t possibly know if Rose had signed the divorce paper, he simply assumed that she did and if so then he was a free man.

But in his heart he still felt married to her. This was a betrayal on his part.

He had remained rigid in bed … afraid to move … afraid to learn the identity of the mysterious woman sharing his bed. 

It didn’t matter who she was or how they got entangled with one another. She didn’t mean anything to him.

In fact, he couldn’t even remember what transpired between them … although he had some ideas of how these things usually go.

He needed to get up, shower, and then call Thanisson to check on Rose back in London. And so Hux gingerly lifted the feminine hand by the wrist so that he could leave but unexpectedly the feminine hand moved up his abdomen to rest in the middle of his chest. He felt a warm body pressed against his back as the still mysterious woman snuggled her soft form closer to him.

He felt a kiss before the female placed her warm cheek against his naked back.

“Hmmmm.”  

Hux heard a sleepy purr from behind in a feminine voice that was oddly familiar.

“Good morning, Carrot.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 12

8 Hours Prior

“3pm!” Dream Kitty exclaimed, “Carrot, have you gone mad? It’s almost midnight!”

Hux did not question her appearance at his mini mansion nor did he seem to fully register his own surrounding.    

“Why are you drinking so much?” Rose probed as Hux staggered backward and was now preoccupied with putting the wedding band back on his ring finger.

The simple task was made impossible with the advanced state of inebriation. Hux was visibly struggling and getting more frustrated with each failed attempt.

“Here let me help you.”

Rose held his left hand steady before she carefully placed the wedding band back in its place. Then she repeated her earlier question.

“Carrot, why are you drinking? It’s not good for your liver.”

Without answering, Hux frowned and glowered down at Rose for a few seconds. He then stumbled back to the fireplace before he plopped down on his seat and turned his face away from her.

Undeterred by Hux’s silence, Rose followed behind and kneeled down before him. This effectively caged him in his seat.

“Hmmm … well?”

“Don’t care about my liver,” there was a short pause. Hux still refused to look at her.

If Rose didn’t know better she would have mistaken his sullen expression for sulking.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Okay. Fine,” Rose pivoted their conversation to the topic of their pending divorce. “Then maybe you want to explain what you meant with the ‘irretrievable breakdown’ nonsense you put down on the divorce paper.”

“I don’t WANNA TALK about it, Dream Kitty!”

“Carrot, this is important to me. Please … the truth. I need to know.”

Hux huffed out a deep sigh with his eyes closed. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand.

“If you must knoow in the York of New State City … there are legitimate SEVEN grounds for deevooorce,” Hux relented, mixing up some of his words and slightly dragging out some vowels. He played with the wedding band on his left hand and began to list each ground with his fingers, starting with his thumb, as he had committed them to memory.  

“One, Irretrievable Breakdown; two, Cruel and Inhuman treatment; three, Abandonment; four, Imprisonment; five, Adultery; six, Judgment of Separation; and seven Separation Agreement.”

Hux exhaled before finally making eye contact with Rose, “you tell me, Dream Kitty, which ground was I supposed to use?”

“Okay. But what I want to know is why did you want the divorce?”

“WANT? … want? … Because … BECAUSE! … beeee cause –”

Hux was genuinely confused by Dream Kitty’s question. Was Kitty accusing him of wanting to divorce her? His Dream Kitty was not making sense and so Hux paused and took a deep breath.

“Yes? Because?” Rose prompted.

Although his eyes were trained on hers, Rose felt that his thoughts were somewhere else entirely. Then Hux raised both hands and started to pull out his hair at each side of his temple. 

“No,” Hux shook his head and turned away from Rose with his hands searching for the missing bottle. At least the amber liquid gave him some comfort. “I don’t wannnna teelle you.”

Rose was determined to get her answers. She lowered her head to rest it on Hux’s lap with her head angled up slightly so that she could still see his face.

In a persuasive soft voice Rose repeated her question, “please? It’s okay, Carrot, you can tell me.”  

Hux was definitely sulking, furrowing his brows, and huffing out a deep dramatic sigh. Even pouting a bit. Then, in a low voice just barely above a whisper Hux reluctantly gave his answer.  

“Because I promised you, Dream Kitty.”

Hux let go of his hair and lowered one hand to caress Rose’s cheek. He marveled at his own ability to conjure up such a lifelike Kitty as he ran two fingers across her face starting from her forehead down her nose then his knuckles brushed against her cheek before reaching her chin.

He smiled and kept his touch as light as possible. The gesture was almost reverent as he feared that one misstep on his part could break whatever spell this was and take away his Dream Kitty.  

“I saaaid I woooud give you your freedom. Dream Kitty. I diid,” Hux slurred his words slightly but with the way he was mumbling and the fact that he kept calling her Dream Kitty, Rose didn’t know if Hux was fully aware of her presence.

“It damn near killll me, Dream Kiittyy,”        

“So, you didn’t want the divorce?” Hux’s confession came as a surprise but it was hard for Rose to keep the facts straight with Hux being intoxicated and mostly incoherent.

“Never wanted one. Never … no, I didn’t … I don’t,” Hux went still before he spoke up again. This time his voice was soft and pleading. “I don’t want you to go. Can’t you just stay with me, Dream Kitty? Can you … can you not go?”

Rose didn’t quite understand everything that Hux was saying. Did he think she was going somewhere? Her Carrot had looked so sad and she could hear the hurt in his voice. Although the room was dimly lit, there was enough light for Rose to clearly see the pain in his pale green eyes.

Rose made a move to stand up from her sitting position on the floor and she could see that there was panic in Hux’s eyes.

“No! Please!”

Hux reached for her wrist in an attempt to prevent her from leaving. Rose gave a soft tap on the back of Hux’s hand as she got up in front of him. 

“Carrot, I’m not going anywhere,” Rose tenderly reassured him, “Just give me a second, okay?”

Rose walked away to search for her black tote bag, took out a bulky stack of paper and held it in one hand then walked over to the burning fireplace and tossed in the legal document.   

After getting rid of the silly file, Rose turned to face Hux and gave him a pleased smile before she settled down on his lap with her back leaning against his chest. She then positioned his arms to wrap around her stomach.

“Don’t worry, Carrot, I’m not going anywhere,” with her head on Hux’s shoulder, Rose turned and tilted her head to look down at her husband, “you’re stuck with me now.”

Rose let out a small teasing laugh, “I’ll have you know that it’s too late to change your mind.”

When Rose set out to confront Hux, she didn’t know what she was expecting but certainly not the scene playing out at this very moment.

Hux remained quiet but his intense pale green eyes were still focused on her or at least Rose thought he was still looking at her and so she reached out her hand to cup his face.

Placing his larger hand over Rose’s smaller one, Hux leaned into her touch. This dream was so vivid but he wouldn’t question his luck with Dream Kitty. He had enough sense remaining to not look a gift horse in the mouth.

His Dream Kitty was saying all the words he wanted to hear.

His Dream Kitty said she would not leave him.

“Dream Kitty. I miss you. So much!” Hux clutched his chest with one hand, “you don’t … you can’t possibly know … my heart … this ache … it hurts so so much. So so much … I wish that you were here with me. Waaant you here.”

“But I am here.”

“That’s what Dream Kitty would say,” Hux moped then mumbled as he turned his face to kiss her palm.

It seemed that Hux was still under the impression that Rose was a dream and Rose didn’t quite know what to do to prove that she was real. She wanted Hux to know that he wasn’t dreaming so Rose leaned in closer and their lips touched. At first the kiss was chaste just an attempt to prove that she was flesh and blood, but it quickly took a turn.

Hux wrapped his arms around Rose and brought her closer to him. As he deepened the kiss, Rose could taste the strong alcohol on his tongue. It wasn’t exactly unpleasant but it dawned on her that if she could taste the bourbon through their kiss then Hux might be more intoxicated than he was letting on.

After savoring their kiss for a moment, Rose pulled away, “wait. Carrot. Wait.”

“Waaat sa matter, Dream Kitty?”

“I think … well, um. I think you’re quite drunk and I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

“Hmm, soookay, Dream Kitty. You can take vaantage of me. I will aloouud it,” Hux duly informed Rose with his puppy eyes peering up at her. He then pulled Rose back in hoping for another kiss.

“Are you going to remember this tomorrow?”

“Hmm,” was Hux’s only response before he closed the distance with a steamy kiss.

Briefly Rose thought about pulling away since Hux was clearly blind drunk but then she recalled the sadness in his eyes. It pained her to see him so miserable and so she dismissed the rational decision and decided to follow her heart instead.

Her heart told her that she should embrace her Carrot especially when he was looking at her with such gloomy puppy eyes. Silently begging for her affection.

Rose just wanted to comfort him.

To soothe his fears.

To let him know that she was really here with him.

To let him know that he was not alone.

She didn’t protest when his hands tugged at her blue cable knit sweater nor did she stop him from removing the rest of her clothing until only her heart pendant necklace remained.

There was a kind of desperation to his touch, his instinct took the lead and Hux simply followed in its footstep. The world was hazy and his head was spinning or was it the room that was shifting beneath his feet … it didn’t matter really … nothing else mattered at this moment in time.

Rose was with him. Well, his Dream Kitty was with him and he wanted her so much. He didn’t think he ever wanted anything as much as he wanted her.

She felt so good in his arms. Her soft warm skin against his. It was more than he deserved.  

But this was his dream. He could do anything here. Anything was possible. There was no rule. No pending divorce. No promises.

Somehow Hux managed to carry Rose to one of the mansion’s bedrooms and deposited her on the bed. Rose repositioned herself and crawled backward to the center of the large bed.

This was such a nice dream, Hux mused as he climbed on top of Rose.

Alcohol dilated his blood vessels and made his body feverish. It motivated him to quickly discard his own clothes.

Hux placed a quick kiss on Rose’s lips before trailing soft feathery kisses down her collar bones then down the cleavage between her plump breasts. He vaguely registered the heart pendant.

His Dream Kitty smelled so good. Just like his real Kitty. But the real one was far away.

Too far away.

Beyond his reach.

He only had his Dream Kitty and so he needed to cherish her.

Each kiss was a prayer and an offering to his goddess. Hux wanted to stay in this dream forever.

Just the two of them.

Just like this.

For always.

He lifted himself up to look at his Dream Kitty. She was so damn beautiful, smiling at him, reaching for him and so he leaned down for another kiss. This time it was not chaste. He breathed in her essence and plunged his tongue deep … seeking something even he did not know … he only knew that he needed … that he wanted … desperately.

His Dream Kitty was generous and giving. Allowing him to explore and exploit, allowing him to take from her. So willing. So eager.   

He looped one arm under Rose’s knee and parted her soft thighs. He was somewhat aware of Rose’s labored breathing and her soft panting.

His Dream Kitty was sensitive to his touch and so very responsive. She parted her thighs to accommodate him, shifting her position slightly. He was hard for her. It was almost painful for him to not enter her body.

He wanted to so very badly.  

This hazy dream was so nice.

There was no need to rush things.

He heard Rose’s soft moan again. Her mewling cries made him even harder … if that was possible but he didn’t want the dream to end so soon.  

Rose shifted her hips up from the bed. Her heart was beating fast but more importantly her core was wet and empty and so very needy. The kisses were good but she wanted more.

Hux was taking too long and so Rose was going to have to take matters into her own hands. She pulled herself up, grabbed Hux’s shoulders and pushed him down on the bed effectively rolled him over on his back to straddle him.

Hux didn’t complain. He just gave her a dazed smile as he gripped her lush bottom and then her thighs. Rose grinded down, rubbing their sensitive parts together then she leisurely played with his cock; using the wetness dripping down her inner thighs she pumped the length of it with her hand. He was hot and hard yet velvety soft at the same time.

Rose kneeled on the bed and guided the tip of his cock to her wet slit. Her pussy was dripping. She positioned his member and pushed just the tip in. The stretch of her inner wall felt good.

With her soaked pussy, Rose could have slam down on him in one go but she wanted to savor the moment. To get used to his girth and length inside her. To start slow.

Rose looked down and saw that Hux hissed when the tip slipped inside. His grip on her thighs tightened but otherwise he didn’t press for more.

“Dream Kitty,” Hux mumbled between his hissings, “You feel so good my Dream Kitty.”

Rose pushed the length of his cock in deeper. Not much, perhaps an inch. She could feel her needy pussy clenching and so she brought herself down on him and sheathed him to the hilt.

“Kitty.”

Rose gasped. She threw her head back as the frictions brought her pleasures and took her breathe away. 

“Armie.”  

Finally, her body felt alive. Her needy pussy felt stretched and full. The place where they were connected felt right.

Rose began to move with her hands pressing down on his bare chest for support. At first her rhythm was slow and steady, pulling back so that only the tip remain inside her then slowly lowering herself on his hard cock as it slid back in. 

Hux didn’t mind that Rose was topping. It was fine that Rose was setting the pace but he was growing impatient with the slow lovemaking. He needed her to move faster.

Just as he was about to roll her under him, Rose looked down at him with a wicked smile on her pretty face. She started to really move, quickening the pace, and riding him with wild abandon.

Rose felt the pressure building inside of her. Her orgasm was not far and Rose was chasing it with her eyes closed and her head tilted back. The heart pendant bounced with her plump tits with each movement.  Rose was panting with the intense pleasures building up inside.

“Ah, Armie. Ah.. oh hmmm .. ah, hmm. Caree. Carrot. Ahhhhh”

She rode him faster and then at once her body felt like it was hit by burning lightning. Rose screamed and was momentarily blinded by the pleasure radiating from her core. Her body convulsed and her pussy clenched his hard cock in rhythmic waves, milking him for his seeds.  

“Dream Kitty! Ahhh … Rose!”’

Hux’s knuckles turned white with the death grip on Rose’s hips. He moaned and bucked. Then she felt his hot seeds spilled inside her and a new wave of pleasure coursed through her body.

She might have bruises tomorrow but she was totally fine with it.

After riding the waves for a few more moments Rose collapsed down on top of Hux and he brought his arms around her to hold her close.

Was the dream over now?

Hux didn’t want Dream Kitty to leave him and so he tightened his embrace and breathed in her scent. His head was spinning, the edges of his vision were blurry, but he didn’t want Dream Kitty to leave.

“Carrot, ahhhh, you’re crushing me!” Rose voiced her discomfort.

Rose pushed up to look at Hux and saw that there were tears in his eyes as he looked at her.      

“Are you crying?” Rose asked as she reached up to wipe away his tears with her thumb.

“I just love you so much. I love you and I dooon’t want you to leave me,” Hux paused and heaved out a deep sigh, “please don’t leave.”

He was looking at her with that same pleading puppy eyes that Rose saw earlier. Who would have thought that an intoxicated Hux would turn out to be such a cute little puppy?

A forthright, needy and clingy but nonetheless cute little puppy, Rose amended.      

This was probably the first time she heard him say that he loved her. Rose already knew it. Have always felt it with him but it was nice to actually hear the words.

Rose managed to free both hands from his tight embrace. She softly patted his chest in a soothing rhythm as if calming a fussy child. “Hey, hey, it’s okay, my love. I’m not going anywhere, okay?”

Hux loosen his grip slightly and Rose could breathe easy again.

“Do you promise?” Hux asked in a boyish almost pouting voice.

“Hmm, yes, I promise.”

Hux let out a heavy sigh and peered down at her with such intensity that Rose thought he might protest or say something but he remained quiet. Hux proceeded to loosen his hold on her a bit more, blinked several times as he kept his pale green eyes on her, and then promptly passed out.        

8 Hours or so Later

“Hmmmm.”  

Hux heard a sleepy purr from behind in a feminine voice that was oddly familiar.

“Good morning, Carrot.”

“Kitty?” Hux whipped his head around to look at her. His eyes widened in a stunned expression.   

“What? How? When? What is? WHAT?”

Rose did not have time to address any of his questions before Hux promptly jumped out of bed.

Rose pulled the blanket up to cover more of her body as the room was cold but Hux seemed to be oblivious to the element. Rose wouldn’t complain. She was way too busy enjoying the view as Hux paced back and forth by the bed – unconcerned with the state of his nakedness.

“How are you here?” Hux finally settled on a question after mumbling to himself for a good minute or two.

“Um. Well. I took a plane and then called one of your personal drivers to meet me at the airport.”

“Right … no … I mean … uhhh,” Hux resumed his pacing, occasionally hitting his head with his fists and pulling at his medium length messy red hair.

Hux tried to think back to the previous night.

Dear God.

His head was pounding. The brutal headache was back in full swing. Hux had known that this was his price for the heavy drinking but damn it, he really needed his brain to work right about now.

Unfortunately, his brain was not cooperating. He recalled … nothing from the previous night.

The last thing he remembered was him feeling sorry for himself, drinking his amber liquid drug of choice, sitting by the fireplace.

Yes, that was the last memory for him.

What happened last night? What had he done? How did they get here?

He COULD NOT remember!

What about their divorce? Were they divorced? He didn’t know. It was frustrating him to no end.

“Carrot, it’s too early,” Rose patted the spot where he was just sleeping moments ago with her hand, “come back to bed, my love.”

They were both jet-lagged and it was a Christmas morning so there was absolutely no reason to be up this early.   

Hux scowled at her with suspicion mixed in with a heavy dose of confusion but he reluctantly complied and sat back down on the bed, resting his back against the wooden headboard then he pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“Hmm, you might need to drink water for the hangover,” Rose suggested as she crawled closer to Hux and propped herself up on her elbows facing him. 

“Yeah,” Hux replied absentmindedly before adding “Why are you here, Kitty? You and Paige have your inheritance back. I signed the divorce paper. You’re free.”

Rose took a long moment to study Hux’s genuine confused expression.

“Do you … not remember … last night?”

Hux glared at her with his pale green eyes but remained quiet and rigid. Rose suspected as much. He did not remember. Rose stifled a smile. Poor baby. For someone who took pride in knowing things and plotting things… well, his current state must be killing him.  

Since Hux had no memory of last night, Rose thought she should at least give him something.

“Do you remember that time when I told you that I had a price?”  

Hux frowned. He remembered that conversation. It haunted him still because he didn’t know what it was that Rose wanted most. He still couldn’t figure out her price.

Rose had said that he didn’t have it. That he could not afford to pay her price.

What she wanted most … was still a mystery to him.

He studied her bright brown eyes. Rose was lying on her stomach with one hand under her chin propping her head up while her other elbow rested on the bed.

Hux didn’t know where the conversation was heading. He dreaded the uncertainty of it all.

Rose got up into a sitting position next to him and placed one palm on his chest over his heart.

“This is my price. What I want most from you.”

The confused expression on his face told her that Hux didn’t understand what she was trying to tell him. “I said that you couldn’t pay it before but I was wrong.”

Hux looked down at her small hand on his chest and furrowed his brows.

“Give me your heart, Carrot, and I’ll give you mine. I think it’s a fair trade,” Rose gave him a warm smile. Hux didn’t understand why Rose wanted his black heart. It was useless.

Did she not understand? He had let her go because he wanted her to be with someone good. Someone decent. Someone normal. He wanted Rose to be happy with a respectable man.

Letting her go damn near killed him. His heart ached. Hux still felt a burning jealousy every time he thought about this imaginary upstanding phantom male.

He had let her go because Rose deserved the world.

Hux didn’t want to hold on to her against her will. He wanted Rose to be free. Free to do all that her heart desired.     

“My heart?”  Hux managed to say. “I don’t understand,”

“Come to think of it, you already have my heart. The musical box. That was my heart. If you don’t want to make the trade then return the musical box to me.”

The musical box? Rose wanted it back? But it was the only source of light in his dark world. He had taken the box from the UES apartment and it was currently resting on the fireplace mantel.    

“You already have my heart, Carrot. Can’t you give me yours?”

Could it be that Rose returned his feelings? That despite his horrendous behaviors, Rose still wanted to be with him. His chest felt too tight. For a long long long while he couldn’t speak.  

When he felt his heart had calmed down enough he threaded his fingers gently through Rose’s long midnight hair and his eyes landed on the pendant she wore around her neck. His gift.

“You want this black heart of mine?”

“Very much so.”

“But Kitty, this black heart of mine had been yours since the very beginning. Even when I didn’t know it, it was always yours.”

“Oh!” Rose exclaimed, smiled, then murmured softly, “that’s good then.”

She scooted back and gently tapped the bed indicating that she wanted him to lie down next to her.

Hux obliged and Rose moved closer to rest her head on his shoulder.

“I take it you didn’t sign the divorce papers?”

“Oh that? I threw it in the fireplace last night.”

“Hmm. What else happened last night?”

“Oh, you know. Nothing much. Just this and that,” Rose sleepily replied. “And you told me some things.” She could feel his muscles tensed up.

“What … things?”

Rose smiled as she snuggled closer, “All good things. Maybe one day I’ll tell you. If you’re very good.” And Rose fell quiet. Her steady breathing informed Hux that his wife was now asleep.

Epilogue

3 Year and 7 Months Later

East Hampton Mansion

July

Rose made her way back to the first floor of their summer house after a quick rinse in the shower.

Earlier that morning, Rose and Rey had spent some time in the pool with Rey’s eight month old twins. The warm summer weather in East Hampton was a nice break from city life.

In a blink of an eye, four years passed by.

Many things remained the same and yet just as many things have changed.

Paige’s recovery had been slow but she was making a steady progress and was now in school. When they were on the run from their uncle, Paige couldn’t afford to pursue her passion and she was making up for lost time.    

With her improved health, Paige was currently traveling around Europe with her college friends.

Rey was now a working mom of two and still worked part-time at her grandfather’s company. Rey had told her that she was delegating a lot at the moment but she truly enjoyed her work and wanted to keep at it.

But as a working mom with two young children, Rey was exhausted.

Extremely so.

Thus this was a much needed vacation away from work and the bustling city life.

Rose thought about the trip to the beach later this afternoon with Rey, Ben, and the twins. Carrot told her that they could also take a scenic drive to see the Montauk lighthouse.

Rose hummed a tune with a hair towel draped around her shoulders attempting to dry her long straight hair when she spotted the back of Carrot in the library.  

“What are you doing?”

“Shush! Shoo ooooo,” Hux turned to face Rose and she saw that he held baby Leia in one arm with a phone in his other hand. Hux looked at her with his eyes widened, his index finger in front of his lips then pointed to the playpen that Rose had missed earlier.  

“Ohhh! Sorry!” Rose whispered back apologetically.

Baby Luke was sleeping soundly while also making cute baby grunts in his sleep. 

“Rey and Ben?”

“At the pool, I supposed,” Hux answered in the same hushed tone then shrugged. “They both looked like they could use a break so I offered to watch baby Luke and baby Leia.”

“I see,” Rose walked over to the playpen to check on baby Luke.

Hux resumed fidgeting with his phone then placed it next to a portable speaker. The whale sounds playlist was working wonders for Luke but alas baby Leia wouldn’t fall for such trick.

Baby Leia was wide awake.

Leia took a moment to look at Rose but soon lost interest and so she rested her head back on Hux’s shoulder and promptly returned her left fist to her mouth.

The cooing sounds reminded Hux that baby Leia was still very much awake. 

Hux put down his phone on a side table and paced the library with one hand gently patting baby Leia’s back, hoping that the soothing motion would lure the baby to sleep.

“Carrot, you’re pretty good at this,” Rose praised in the same conversational hushed tone.

“Hmm.”   

“Do you want one?”

“I don’t think Ben and Rey would –”

“– no, silly. I meant our baby. I want more than one. At least three.”

Hux paused his patting of baby Leia’s back and focused his eyes on Rose. They hadn’t really discussed children in details. They were both still young. But he wanted whatever Rose would give him.  

“At least three … that sounds wonderful, Kitty,”

Rose and Hux shared an intimate smile and he leaned down for a chaste kiss. Children would be a new milestone for their relationship.

A brand new and uncharted territory.

They had come a long way.

Hux didn’t think his black heart had turned a different shade. And yet … it had undergone a dramatic transformation. No matter what awaited them in the future, one thing would always remain the same.

This black heart of his was made for his Kitty and it belonged only to her.

Pool Side

Ben and Rey were stretched out on the pool lounge chairs under an oversized blue pool umbrella. The summer sun was perfect. They reapplied sunscreen but couldn’t be bothered to get back in the pool.

“Should we check on the twins,” Rey lifted her sunglasses up and asked sleepily from her lounge chair.

“They should be fine, sweetheart,” Ben reassured his wife in the same sleepy tone. “Armie said that he would watch them.”

It wouldn’t be the first time that Hux took care of the twins and so Ben had full confidence in his cousin’s ability to handle two small but willful children.

“Ehhhhh … he should be fine for a while,” Ben added.

“Hmm. Yeah. Okay,” Rey beamed him a sunny smile and lowered her sunglasses, “I’ll just take a little napnap then.”

“An excellent idea, sweetheart.”

Raising twins had been a grand adventure thus far but also so very tiring. And so the two fatigued parents could not resist stealing a quick nap whenever they could.

It was a perfect summer day with birds chirping in the distance and gentle breezes caressing the skin.

It was a day that whispered a promise of eternal sunshine and only good things ahead.   

Fin

Thank you for being such lovely readers, kudoers, and commenters. 

I hope to see some of you again with my new fic "Academie Ilum (AI)" A gingerrose A/B/O with a good dose of reylo. This fic is mostly humor and fluff. 

Read First Chapter Here: https://archiveofourown.info/works/47935564/chapters/120858625