Rose’s eyes remained shut despite the shining rays of sunlight warming her skin.It was morning and she was a light sleeper but she refused to get out of bed. An hour passed and only when Donn left did she climb out of bed and freshen up. After last night’s encounter, the image she painted of Donn was getting harder to capture. Her mind was left wondering, why didn’t he force himself on her?According to the contract he could and she had no choice but he ended up bathing her as if his only aim was to wash away every bit of Marcus from her. She glanced through her mail as she walked down for breakfast. Her eyes lit up when it got to the results of her application. “Yes!” she exclaimed with great joy.The top tier business school she enrolled in accepted her but most importantly she was overjoyed to spend her days away from Castilo Manor. The maids who had no idea why Rose suddenly fisted the air in excitement looked puzzled.“Ahem… where is Miracle?” she tried to manage th
Rosella’s POV Earlier when I arrived at the business school, it took me a while to get myself sorted out.My documents were gone over and I was assigned to class C. I contemplated fully starting the next day but when I thought of the only place I could be, I instantly changed my mind and took a seat in the seminar-like room.The chairs got higher from the front and I took a seat at the top section. I was never one to fancy being close to the teacher or even relating to the members of the class. At least that’s the attitude I was forced to accept after being bullied during my last year. I told myself,‘Out of sight, out of mind’But it didn’t work, did it?Adriana and her squad made sure to taunt me regardless.As I sat there my eyes caught a figure outside through the window. It was Oliver Auberon, luckily she didn’t see me or walk into my class, she seemed to have entered another room and I couldn’t help but remember her words to me.She was right, the likes of Donovan ar
Rosella’s POV It was night time and I found my way to Bright Valley. I know it’s not wise for me to be back here after what transpired last night but I can’t return to Castilo Manor just yet. I need a distraction. So here I was, walking straight to the VIP section and brazenly requesting a new uniform.“Hey, what did you do with the one given to you last night?”The lady questioning me wasn’t yelling but she was visibly annoyed and it caused my lips to draw a thin line.It’s not like I can say it was ripped apart by a beast. “Sorry, I left it behind and I live quite far away” was my excuse. It’s unprofessional and certainly unconventional to even carry it home but I still dare to leave it behind.I know the thoughts running through her head but before she spoke a teen guy approached me.“Come, there’s a spare. Let me take you to it”I followed behind and the lady’s hostile gaze traced me until I was out of sight. ‘Phew, I guess I can say I dodged a bullet there, and it’s all
Rosella’s POV I took a huge gulp of saliva and it suddenly dawned on me as I was being yanked and forcefully dragged down the halls that the only person I could think to save me was the very person I loathe the most. It was the feeling of being free from prison but the outside world turns out to be much worse and every day you can’t help but dream of returning.How do you tell such a tale?That the very person which you despised to death was seen as a savior in your eyes in this regard!That the hatred boiling in your heart turned to hope when faced with such vile situations!At that moment I hoped to be in Castilo Manor…This sudden realization sent more shock waves through my being than the tight grip on my ponytail. And it begged the question,Since when did I consider Castilo Manor my home?Am I going insane or is their barbaric way of dragging my figure to the nearest room disorganizing my thoughts?!They say, one truly knows who their protector is when faced with a life or
Rosella’s POV My brain fell short circuit as I stared at him, the veins on his head and neck were bulging and his eyes were fierce with a murderous glare. I was still in a state of utter shock where I forgot how to breathe.The strong smell of blood clouded my lungs and even worse I could feel the texture on my skin. My breathing became more unsteady and haggard and I was at this point gasping for air.Suddenly a warm fabric enveloped my being and I raised my head to meet his gaze but his attention was fixed in properly placing his coat over my tattered clothes.Yet again, the uniform is in ruins! Maybe I wasn’t cut out for this job.My hands folded against my chest protectively and I had not forgotten about my current situation. I watched Donn raise the gun again and I flinched while the other men fell on their knees I’m pleading tears.Before anything, they spoke first.“Please spare us, we didn’t know she was your woman -”“Yes, we didn’t know, we would’ve never dared to to
Rosella’s POV My eyes were filled with nothing but hatred and an intrusive thought clouded my mind.Is this how he felt when he killed my father? Just a life to apologize for and everything returns back to normal or should I say abnormality, seeing as nothing exists properly around him. “Save it!” I snapped in annoyance.An apology from a murderer’s mouth sounds like an insult to my ears.I heard him take a deep sigh before slowly approaching my figure on the bed.He purposely chose to stand and block my line of sight, taking even the view of the moon from me.I gritted my teeth and was forced to raise my gaze to his.“Do you enjoy testing my patience?” He asked in a low tone that rocked fear in my depths. Looking at him from this angle made him appear more terrifying, his eyes stared down at me like I was nothing but dust and I was all too familiar with that look. How could I not?When that very look was cast to me by my own mother the last time I set my eyes on her.She
Rosella’s POV Did I just court death?It seems so because his grip on my neck only tightened, he used just one hand and I already felt my conscience slipping. I didn’t waver regardless, my eyes clouded with flames or anger kept boring into impenetrable orbs. In the next minute, he released my neck and I coughed and gasped violently for air.So he couldn’t kill me then…“Why won’t you listen to me? It’s dangerous outside”I was massaging my red neck when he spoke and my hands immediately stopped.I found his gaze and it dared to have a ting of disappointment! If this isn’t level ten psychopathic shit! I don’t know what is. Even if I tried, I couldn’t stop a scoff from escaping my lips. It's dangerous outside? Says the man who almost killed me a minute ago! “You don’t have to worry, I’ll do my best to stay away from Marcus. I’ll avoid him like the plague just like I do to you. Trust me, the last thing I want is to be stuck between two blood-filled hands. You guys disgust me…
Rosella’s POV Regardless of my rapid struggle to escape Donovan’s fake caring gestures, I really needed that rest. It is unlike me to sleep in but here I was at noon, only peeling my eyes open because my stomach roared out in protest. Still, food wasn’t the first thing on my mind! I just received a message from Mirable that Donn wants to speak with me, and that’s all I needed to lose my appetite. I can’t tell if he knew exactly how I felt but the next text I received was to have lunch with him!I’ll try not to puke! I fully got out of bed and freshened up, I didn’t bother to wear house clothes, I dressed like I was heading out because I had a feeling the conversation would be pricking that topic!“Right this way ma’am” A maid gestured me to the location and it wasn’t the same place where I fed him his allergies. This was a smaller table, likened to a tea table, which means we’d be seated quite close!I felt my hairs stand while approaching the spot and he was already seated wit
The tension in the hospital lingered in the air like an uninvited guest, heavy and suffocating. After the doctor delivered the news that their mother had survived the surgery but was now in a coma, neither Rosella nor Mirable could breathe a sigh of relief. The hope of her waking up was the only thread holding them together, yet it felt too thin, too fragile.Rosella’s knees buckled, her strength waning, but Donovan’s strong arms shot out and caught her before she could collapse completely. His grip on her was firm yet gentle, his eyes filled with concern. “You need to rest,” he murmured softly, but she barely heard him, her mind too occupied with the image of her mother bleeding out in her arms.The room where their mother was moved to was quiet, save for the beeping of machines and the faint rustle of nurses shuffling about. The doctor informed them that they could visit, but before they could take a step, Mirable turned to Rosella and Donovan, her expression conflicted. “Rosella… c
Blood spattered on the ground, pooling beneath the crumpled body of Rosella's mother. The sound of the gunshot still echoed in Rosella's ears, even as chaos erupted around her. Her body froze, rooted to the ground as the weight of her mother's falling figure pressed against her chest."No-No, no, no!" Rosella cried, catching her mother in her trembling arms. The air seemed to thicken, bullets zipping past her in the ensuing firefight. She didn't flinch.The world blurred, focusing solely on the woman bleeding out in her arms. ‘Why did she throw herself in front of me?’ Rosella’s mind was pinned on this thought. "Mom! Stay with me!" she screamed, shaking her gently. Blood seeped through her mother's dress, staining Rosella's hands and knees. "Please, don't close your eyes, don't do this to me!"Her mother's eyes fluttered open, her irises clouded with pain yet filled with a strange serenity. "Rosella..." Her voice was barely audible, a faint whisper under the chaos.Tears streamed d
The tension in the air was suffocating, thick enough to choke. The small warehouse echoed with the sound of guns cocking and men shifting into position. The stale scent of sweat, gunpowder, and mildew permeated the room, clinging to the skin like an unwelcome reminder of the danger that loomed.Rosella could barely breathe as she sat on the floor, her wrists raw from the ropes that had only recently been removed by Marcus, her heart thundering in her chest.Her mother was beside her, pale and trembling, though her gaze flickered with a strange kind of strength. Across the room, Odessa stood tall, her arms crossed and her expression cool but edged with irritation as she surveyed the chaos she had orchestrated.In the middle of it all stood Marcus, he suddenly rushed in holding a gun that wavered between two targets, Donovan and his mother, Odessa. His jaw was clenched, his brow furrowed, and his breathing uneven as he wrestled with the storm of emotions raging inside him."Marcus," O
Rosella was slumped against the cold wall of the dimly lit room, her wrists sore from the ropes digging into her skin. The air was damp and carried the faint metallic tang of rust and decay. The room itself was barren save for a flickering bulb overhead, casting long, ominous shadows across the cracked concrete walls. Every creak of the floor, every distant muffled noise made her flinch, the tension wrapping around her like a vice.Odessa stood before her, her figure imposing despite the elegant tailored suit she wore. Her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she paced, the sound filling the otherwise silent room. Her lips curled into a smirk, and her dark eyes gleamed with satisfaction. She looked every bit the predator who had cornered her prey.“You must be wondering,” Odessa began, her voice smooth but laced with venom, “why I hate Donovan so much. Why I’ve gone to such lengths to tear him down.” She paused, her gaze flickering to Rosella, who stared back with defiance despi
Rosella's breath caught in her throat as her gaze locked onto the older woman slumped nearby. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Mirable's mother, her mother was sitting just feet away, her head bowed, her blonde hair falling limply over her face.The revelation felt like a sucker punch to the gut. This wasn't just a coincidence or some cruel game Odessa was playing. The truth was undeniable. The woman who had shielded Mirable with her life during the earlier chaos, the woman whose face seemed strangely familiar from the moment Rosella laid eyes on her was the same woman who had abandoned her as a child.Her mother.Rosella's heart thundered in her chest as a whirlwind of emotions tore through her.Shock, betrayal, anger, and the faintest hint of longing all fought for dominance.She clenched her fists against the ropes binding her, her nails digging into her palms as she fought back tears.Across the room, Odessa’s smirk widenedas she basked in the tension. "Well, well," she dra
Rosella’s world felt drenched in icy water as her senses came alive. She gasped, her body jerking against the tight ropes that bound her to the cold, damp floor. The sharp sting of water dripping from her hair to her skin left her shivering, but the real coldness came from the person standing over her.Emma.A wicked smile stretched across Emma’s face as she held an empty bucket, her gleeful eyes mocking Rosella’s misery. “Good, you’re awake,” she said, tossing the bucket aside carelessly. The clang echoed in the dimly lit room, its harsh sound amplifying the tension in the air.Rosella’s eyes darted around, panic rising in her chest. The room was barren except for a few scattered crates and a single dangling bulb casting a dim, flickering light. Her gaze froze when it landed on a motionless figure slumped against the wall.Mirable’s mother.The older woman was still unconscious, her blonde hair matted and her pale face streaked with grime. Rosella’s heart raced, a sinking dread settl
Rosella paced her room, the plush carpet muffling the frantic huffs of her breaths. Her heart raced in sync with her thoughts, each beat heavier than the last. Donovan’s warning to stay indoors had seemed simple enough at first, but as the hours passed, unease wrapped around her like a suffocating fog. Why wouldn’t he or Franklin answer her calls? What was happening out there?The vibration of her phone jolted her from her thoughts. Snatching it from the table, she saw the name Dalgliesh Residence flashing on the screen. Her breath hitched.“Hello?” she answered, her voice trembling.“Miss Rosella,” the voice on the other end was panicked, rushed. “It’s Mr. Dalgliesh. He’s collapsed, been rushed to St. James Hospital. It’s bad… very bad.”Rosella felt her knees weaken, her free hand gripping the edge of the desk for support. “Collapsed? What happened?!”“We don’t know yet. The doctors are trying their best, but…” The voice faltered, leaving the grim implication hanging in the air.Ros
Felix had his father discharged, watching him from home was best, even though Daisy was against the idea he went ahead with it anyway. He hated hospitals, he put up long enough already, any more would break him. Daisy adamantly followed him set his Father at home. Felix leaned against the porch railing, his gaze distant. Could he even look Daisy in the eye after what he was about to say? She stood a few steps away, her face a mixture of hope and hesitation. Did she feel the same tension in the air, the same heaviness that sat like a stone in his chest?Daisy spoke first, her voice soft. “Felix… I know things haven’t been the same since I left, but—”“Why did you come back, Daisy?” he interrupted, his tone gentle but firm. “Was it guilt? Regret? Or did you think you could fix what’s already broken?”Her eyes widened at his words, and she shook her head. “I came back because I realized what I lost. I made a mistake, Felix. I thought I was doing what was best for us, but… can’t we try a
The rain poured relentlessly, a thunderous symphony that matched the turmoil in Mirable’s chest. She tried to wrest her hand free from Mitch’s grip, but his hold was firm. His face was a picture of regret, drenched in rainwater and guilt.“Let go, Mitch!” she shouted, her voice sharp, raw.“Mirable, please, just listen!” Mitch’s voice cracked with desperation.Suddenly, a hand shot out of the downpour, grabbing Mitch’s wrist and forcing it away from her. The strength of the grip made Mitch stumble, and Mirable gasped as the figure stepped into view.It was Franklin.“You heard her,” Franklin growled, his voice low and menacing. “She told you to unhand her.”Before Mitch could react, Franklin’s fist connected with his jaw in a brutal punch, the sound of the impact cutting through the rain. Mitch staggered back, clutching his face as blood dripped from his lip.“Franklin, stop!” Mirable cried, her shock evident.Franklin wasn’t done. He grabbed Mitch by the collar, lifting him slightly