“What do you have in mind?”
William was pleasantly surprised.
At best, he had hoped she would be in touch to stay updated on the issue.
He had not dared to wish for anything more.
“Let her run amok. Make her desperate. Collect evidence. Make her believe she has won. And, then, show our hand.”
‘I just want to vent. Since that woman dared to cross me, too bad for her.
I am not someone that she can use in her mind games. Since she is a bitch, I don’t even have to feel bad about venting my frustrations over my parents on her. Besides, she started it.’
‘She doesn't care. It’s something else that this scandal indirectly caused that bothers her. She is just looking for an outlet. But why do I think she is hot? I should be alarmed.’
“How old are you?” William asked.
“Are you kidding me?” Rosaline was caught off guard by this sudden change in topic.
“C’mon. You said you were going to tell me if we meet again.”
“Why are you so fixated on it?” Rosaline was curious why he would ask about her age. “Besides, we were talking about something serious.”
“I just really hope you aren’t underage. And dead serious right now.” William admitted frankly.
“Why?”
“I have no idea. I’ve been bothered by the probability of you being underage from the moment I saw you.”
“...” Rosaline was speechless in front of his honest declaration. Unconsciously, this made her feel sweet.
‘Damn it. This guy sure is a flirt. He must have played around a lot to be this good. Why the hell do I like this instead of running the other way? I must have lost my mind.’
“Are you not going to tell?” William’s words brought her back to her senses.
“Well, I did agree to the deal. I’m 20.”
“I’m 23.” William still had his poker face on, but his eyes were full of joy like the kid who got Christmas candy in September.
Rosaline shook her head.
“What’s your name?” William tried to push his luck.
He remembered her giving a fake name to Pete yesterday, though he did not understand why he was so sure it was fake.
“That was not part of the deal.”
“Well, since we’ll be working together, I think it’s only appropriate to share our names and contact.”
William grabbed on to the excuse like a drowning person, a lifeboat.
“My name is Alexia. You can call me Lexi,” Rosaline said with a mischievous glint in her brown eyes.
“I’m Alexander. You can call me Alex,” William replied, making it harder for Rosaline to hide her smile.
Little did they know, their small joke would bite them back.
Rosaline and William stayed quiet while watching the bustling city below the mountain.Lost in their thoughts, they did not realize how long they had been sitting there until it got too hot.“Let’s go down. I’ll take you to a nice place.” William proposed, having noticed the sadness in her eyes. “Alright!” Rosaline agreed without too much thought.They climbed down the hill, but halfway through, William stopped and started off to a path that was not quite visible, most likely a track left by some animal. Rosaline was intrigued. She had never ventured beyond the few direct trails that led to the top. The narrow path was even more rugged and harder to traverse.William had to, multiple times, support Rosaline as they moved away from the main trail. The winding path went up for a while before taking a sharp turn downhill. After a short stretch of flatland, the duo climbed uphill again.Even when focused on the path, Rosaline did not miss the lush green trees with wildflowers of mult
“What about you?” William asked.Rosaline was not sure what he was asking. “What about me?”He asked clearly. “Are you on vacation? Or in the middle of something?”“What made you say that?”“Last night, it looked like you had your entire time planned, and we kind of messed it up.” “Kind of?”“Well”“Hahaha!” William was mesmerized by her laughter.But he looked towards the pool instead to ensure she did not notice. “I finished college and will be working soon. So yeah, six weeks of break before that.” “It looks like you earned it.” “The internship and thesis wore me out. I can get a little too caught up while working. So, I wanted to give myself a break, catch up with everyone, and enjoy my brother’s wedding.” “What a coincidence! I am on a two months break. Just finishing up things before heading back to work again. Helping with Ria’s wedding.”Rosaline smiled, and they both stayed quiet for a while.Rosaline’s mood visibly improved. After what felt like forever and no time, Ro
After William explained his story, they stayed quiet.Rosaline commented after a lengthy silence, “You admire her.”It was not a question, and they both knew it.“Yes, she has both a high IQ and EQ. Even at 8, she understood me better than my family.”William answered truthfully, with a hint of self-mockery. “I always knew my EQ was low. Supriya taught me how pitifully low it was. I took psychology classes after that incident. I guess I just admire smart people in general.”He shrugged. “Unfortunately, her personality is quite terrible. But most importantly, she lacks a moral compass or a bottom line.”“I doubt there’s anything she would not do to get what she wants. Combine her lack of morality with her natural intelligence, which she must have honed over the years; she becomes scary.”William gave his emotionless analysis. “What do you think we should do?” Rosaline asked, looking at him intently.“I was too busy to do anything about her when she fussed around Pete and others. And
William and Rosaline climbed down, and this time they took another route.It brought them out from the other end of the park. This route took them from between the heavily fortified forest area to prevent animal attacks. This route was between the two closed-off parts of the forest. There was a small natural alcove by one of the smaller streams where they rested.He thoughtfully asked her to rest and drink some water as he plucked some black plums to eat. “Thank you!”Rosaline realized she had thanked him a lot in one day. He seemed very tolerant of everything she said or asked.‘Is he always this good-tempered?’ “A penny for your thoughts?”William interrupted her musings for the first time. She smiled, “Just wondering what to eat for lunch. I’m starving.”Neither of them knew at this time that he would pull her back from her daydreams countless times in the future, and she would always talk about food when asked.It would later go on to be one of their private jokes. They rest
William shook his head.“Silly!” “Tell me, what don’t you like here?” Rosaline was surprised that he knew she did not like something there. “What do you mean?”He explained, “In the beginning, you liked it. And then you frowned soon after we entered.”“Aren’t you paying a little too much attention?”“Would you rather I ignore you?”“That’s not what I meant, and you know that.”“You seem to know what I meant pretty well too.”“Why don’t I think so?”“Are you not going to tell?”Rosaline rolled her eyes and explained.“See the plants here - they are all fake and overdone. It’s worse because it’s right outside the forest perimeter.”“The ceiling is decorated like a pub with dim lights and all. It’s not a pub, and the location makes it relatively awkward as most of the customers are likely to be people who have come back from the park. Tired and hungry ones.”“All the ACs are placed on the side of the road. It would be better if it were on the side of the forest as the emissions from AC
Two days later, William messaged Rosaline on WeChat.W: “Hey! How are you doing?”R: “Great! What about you?”W: “I’m fine! Can we meet?” R: “...”W: “Got something important to discuss.”R: “Alright. Where?”W: “The Pavilion. Private Room called Splendours.” R: “Okay. 5 pm?”W: “Sure. Make sure to avoid being seen or recognized.”R: “What do you mean?”W: “Explain in person?”R: “Alright, see ya.”The Pavilion was one of the largest pubs in Apex city.Luxurious and classy, it also exuded a mysterious vibe. The modern architecture, gorgeous interiors, private rooms, dim lights without being shady, gigantic open bar counter, large open dance floor on top of a small-intimate dance floor on the open rooftop, everything was remarkably low-key luxurious. The noble, classy, and mysterious vibe of the Pavilion made it quite a hit in the city despite its exuberant cost.The privacy provided, dozens of security guards patrolling around, and in-house doctors further added to the charm. It h
“You're breathtaking, by the way,” William said. Rosaline had to hide her blush. “Thanks! I guess. You look great too.” “Thanks!” “This place is great. I did not know the private rooms were even more luxurious than the open area downstairs. The view from here is just wow.”William smiled.“I’m glad you like it.”“Of all the buildings I have seen in this city, I find this one the perfect blend of good architecture and interior. The low-key luxurious appearance sets off its high-end style in great contrast. And the security and service are unparalleled in this city.”Rosaline nodded. “I couldn't agree more.”“I remember the first time I came here when I was just about to start college, and my brother had sneaked me in to show me the interior since that was my major. I was frankly blown away and took so many pictures.”“I had used my cousin’s ID since I was still underage. They caught and sent me away before I could satisfy my curiosity.” Rosaline finished with a pout.William smiled
Rosaline cleared her throat and asked.“Anyway, what do you mean by she is stalking you?”William calmed himself and explained. For some reason, he liked explaining things to her.“Well, here’s the thing. I bought a house five years back. I have been trying to restore it and fix all the broken things since I came back.” “...” Rosaline was speechless.‘How is that relevant?’William continued, not noticing her expression.“I’ll take you for a tour one of these days.”“Hey, how about you help me with the interior design? I can hire you as a freelancer. I was going to hire a freelance interior designer anyway.”Rosaline could no longer keep up with his off-track plot.She interrupted him.“Hold on, will you? What are you talking about, anyway?”“Weren’t you going to tell me about being stalked? How did it turn into your house?”William joked at her confusion. “Damn. I was hoping you wouldn’t notice.”“Really?”“Alright. No jokes.”“Get to the point.”He went back to the point.“Well, th
William lay on the bed with Rosaline in his arms and little Parth in his crib on the side. “Lexi?” William whispered. “Hmm?” Rosaline hummed in his neck. “Falling in love with you is the greatest achievement of my life. Thank you, darling. I never knew I could be so happy that my heart feels like it’ll overflow.” William said emotionally. “Don’t steal my line. That’s how I feel. With you by my side, I feel invincible.” Rosaline murmured. “I love you so much.” He said hoarsely. “I know. I would argue I love you more, but we both know that’s not true.” Rosaline giggled, peppering kisses on his neck. “Don’t do that!” William sighed. She teased, “Do what?” “Our son is here. We can’t do anything, so don’t provoke me. Besides, you have not healed yet.” William answered. “Teasing you is no fun. You have better control than me.” Rosaline complained. “You should be happy about that. I want you more than you want me.” William teased. “I have noticed our desire for sex and food follow
Everyone had gathered at the AR mansion early as Asteria was to bring Rosaline and William’s baby.Tessa jumped first and ran to the door.She could not snatch the baby from Asteria’s arm, and Asteria would not give him away.They argued as they reached Rosaline’s side.The silent baby finally made a cooing noise as he leaped at Rosaline.“You heartless brat, I have been looking after you for two days, and you did not even speak to me once,” Asteria exclaimed, making everyone laugh.She had become much more cheerful in Apex city. She was unrestrained and happy.Everyone was waiting to hold the baby.Leena whistled and said, “Don’t crowd around him. Give him some breathing space. Rosy will introduce everyone to him.”They all grumbled and sat down.Jack had to grab Tessa and Albert by the collar and make them sit.Meanwhile, the baby rested his head on Rosaline’s shoulders but kept facing outside.“Don’t be mad at Mamma. Mamma was busy. Look, Mamma brought Dada home.” Rosaline convince
Danial, Isabella, Rosaline, and William went to the Scott family mansion.They had identified and reported the spies to the authorities.Someone had screened the entire mansion for hidden bugs.They enjoyed a lively dinner. It was the most peaceful meal in over five months. They shared what was going on and celebrated the reunion.They had planned to fly to Apex city the next day.They had given a week off to everyone in both companies except the support staff. It was to gear everyone up for the drastic changes that were to happen in Scott Group and to set the pace they would pick up at AR Group. Finally, William and Rosaline were alone in their bedroom.He hugged her close as soon as they locked the door.“You worked so hard,” William sounded sad.“It was the only time I had gotten physically involved. I only worked from the sidelines and helped the rescued people. It was emotionally draining to see so much suffering.”“But I tried my best to channel it into helping others, spreadin
Rosaline tried to soothe her.“Forget those vile creatures. That phase in your life is over. It’ll never go away, but it’s only a past now.”“The baby is innocent. It’s 29 weeks old now. Already fully formed.”“That gives you three options - you can keep the baby.”“You can abort it.”“Or you can wait a few more weeks. After the 34th week, we can do a c-section. The baby will be kept in a NICU until it is ready to be taken away.”“It’ll have a very high chance of survival after 34 weeks. You need at least six weeks for your physical injuries to heal anyway. You will be in the hospital regardless.”“And even if you want to abort, you’ll have to wait two weeks before your other injuries are healed enough for the procedure to be safe for your body.”“You can sleep on it and make a choice.”The girl looked at her and asked, “If I give birth, what will happen to the child?”Rosaline answered, “Depends on what you want. You can leave it in CARE if you don’t want to raise it. I promise the c
Rosaline broke the silence before the reporters could ask anything.“This little girl needed 30 stitches to heal the wound caused by rape. I had qualms about signing the consent form to terminate the pregnancy, which she called a monster. It would have undoubtedly torn her already vulnerable body apart.”The host silenced the reporters and played another clip.It showed a hospital bed and a young woman with a big pregnant belly. Her face was blurred, but she looked young.A police officer took her statement while a nurse and Rosaline stayed in the room.“Miss , let me confirm the details as you have mentioned previously. You met Peter a year ago in a cafe. He asked you out, you refused, he started to harass you, and then you filed a complaint against him.”“We found the complaint in the FIR box in the police station of south branch-9, which is close to your house. You and your parents met with an accident five days after you had filed an FIR.”The girl trembled, and Rosaline hel
Rosaline asked.“Whose permission do we need to terminate any possible pregnancy? They are too young to consent to anything, and god knows when we will find their families.”She slumped down and leaned on the wall as she sighed.“On top of everything, I don’t want them to have to carry a pregnancy to term. Under a proper environment, there is a chance they might heal and have a life, a family, and a future ahead. Let’s protect that.”“Thank you, Chief!”“Can we also get permission for the girls to choose if they want to return to their homes or stay in CARE?”“I suspect one of the girls got sold by her family. The others were in unwanted, improvised conditions. Only the 13-year-old seems to come from a loving family. If they don’t have a healing environment at home, let them stay in CARE. When they are better, they can move out anytime they want.”“Thank you, Chief. I will get the documents from you and prepare them after I get checked at the hospital.”“Don’t worry! I won’t mess with
A reporter asked a question that was not related to the case.“Miss Dayne, there are rumors that all the rescued rape victims get forced to have an abortion before being admitted to CARE. Could you shed some light on the matter?”The host replied, “Please keep the questions limited to the case.”Rosaline smiled at the host and answered, “That is not true. But I think I should be able to answer more clearly if your question was specific.”The reporter was stunned but soon asked, “Is it true that you have signed the consent form for abortion for the rape victims who were underage?”“Yes, that is true.”The reporter sneered, “In that case, it is true.”Rosaline countered, “I think you should get your facts straight and understand the nuances while discussing a sensitive topic.”“I have signed a consent form to terminate the pregnancy caused by six months of continuous rape of an 8-year-old who was in no way capable of sustaining a pregnancy on her physically undeveloped body that needed
Chief Green continued after the reporters quieted down.“After an in-depth investigation, we uncovered some evidence which indicated Mr. Jackson Senior’s involvement in the accident of Mr. Andrew Scott’s pregnant wife.”“Mr. Jackson Junior’s involvement in missing funds and misappropriation of money and resources within Scott Group subsidiaries came to light. We also found evidence of him bribing many staff members of Scott Group.”“Ultimately, there was evidence of their involvement in child trafficking. It linked both cases together.”“Furthermore, Mr. Jackson Senior was the leading investigator of the case of Mrs. Andrew. He was also the senior leader overseeing the capture of the suspect - Peter.”“However, there was no motive linking them, and their accounts were clean. And the evidence was not enough.”“So, we had to dig deeper, and we uncovered Mr. Jackson’s sister, who had wanted to marry into the Scott family, had gone missing and was presumed dead two years before Mrs. Andre
“You bitch, you called the cops,” Michael said venomously, spittle spraying from his mouth.“Someone is indeed helping you from the inside. No wonder we failed three times.” Rosaline said calmly.“Hahaha, you are smart. No wonder you found all my hideouts. Too bad you can’t catch me, though.” He sneered.“For what you did to those little girls, I will make sure you get caught, even if it’s the last thing I do,” Rosaline vowed.“Those little cunts were so tight. I am getting hard just thinking of them. The youngest one, how old was that bitch again? Ah! 8, 7 when I bought her. She was one feisty bitch, so much like you. When I shoved myself inside her, she begged until she passed out. One day, I will make sure you do the same. I won’t kill you today. I am going to fuck you bloody first. And, you won’t be able to do anything because you can’t touch me.”Michael punched her on the stomach, spat on her face, and left.Rosaline took a minute before she managed to stand.She took off her ea