While their families were dealing with a surge of various emotions, William and Rosaline were having fun.Tristen asked his family’s butler to pack William’s luggage and send it to Tessa’s place.He did not want to face his aunt anytime soon. He was not confident that he could keep his temper, so he thought it better to avoid her. William did not care about it as he did not have anything important in that house. The luggage and moving out were only for effect. William pretended to be pitiful to get Rosaline to pack a few sets of her clothes and bring them to the AR mansion.He had played the ‘I’m a patient’ card a little too much, and Rosaline was already angry.Sensing her temper, William became obedient and quietly followed her as they left Tessa’s house.However, he drove straight to a cloth donation bin close to the Red Cross and dumped his entire luggage.Rosaline was surprised at that.Then, they went to a mall.William asked her to help him pick clothes for him, and he secret
William smiled at Rosaline.She cared more than she let on.“I’m fine. It’s just itchy, that’s all.”“Do you want to cold compress the wounds? I think it helps reduce itchiness and inflammation. Though I am not sure if it’s advisable for open wounds.”“That’s alright. Can you help me remove the dressing?”“Why?”“It’s not that bad. I just had it bandaged for the show. As long as I apply antiseptic, don’t scratch it or get it wet, there’s no need to dress it.”“Are you sure? I think it’s safer to leave it be.”“I am sure. I feel like a Mummy right now.”“Hahaha!” “Let me grab the first aid.”“Thank you!”Rosaline removed all the bandages and was shocked at the wounds.It went all around him - under his neck, waist, v-line, back, arms, and legs.Though the wounds were not too deep and had already closed up, they still looked ghastly.She carefully applied antiseptic ointment and sprayed antiseptic power over it.“This must have hurt.” “Not really. I was intoxicated, and my head was ful
William chuckled at that. “If I had not been shameless and a profiteer, you would be far away from me having fun with Tessa Johnson, and my bed and heart would be cold.”Rosaline snorted at him.“I want to kiss you here,” William said as he pinched the inside of her mid-thigh.“What?” Rosaline was stunned at that.“Here. In your fair and slender legs, I want to leave a series of hickeys and bite marks.”“Are you nuts?”She continued before he could reply, “Now that I think about it, you bite a lot. Poor me!”“If you must know, I find it fascinating to leave my traces on your skin.”“Traces on the skin can get removed. You should think of leaving traces on my heart.” Rosaline snubbed him sarcastically. “I want both. I told you I was greedy.”“Tell me what’s wrong with you today.”“I am happy.”“Why would you be happy? And why did you become so clingy just because you are happy?”“I am happy because despite denying it on my face, you care a lot about me. And you prioritized me.”“You
William noticed her actions and hid her clothes.He sprang from the bed, went to the wardrobe, and pulled out a slip dress.“Put this on!” William said.Rosaline looked at the bright yellow slip dress with a simple v-cut neckline. It was long enough to reach her knees. She turned it over only to find it backless. “Do you want me to wear this at home?”William nodded several times like a child.“I am not wearing this.”“Wear it for me, please,” William pleaded. “How about I wear it when we go out later?”Rosaline proposed a compromise. “Don’t even think about wearing a backless dress when outside.”He suddenly went from docile to stern.“You were the one who bought it. I rarely buy backless dresses for myself.”Rosaline snapped at him.“I wanted you to wear it for me only,” William argued. “And why would I do that?” Rosaline was going mad. “Because it’s convenient to kiss you in this dress. Besides, bright colors suit you.” William replied truthfully. “You!” Rosaline felt like he
Rosaline was stunned at his explanation.She started to refute. “When did I?” But then a memory came to her.“You remember now.”“Bro kept calling her dearest wife. I did not want to copy it, so I asked you to call me dearest Rosaline instead.”“Yes, my dearest Rosaline.”“I had the same logic back then as I do now. Thinking about it like that, I don’t seem to have changed much.”“What do you mean?”“I like to call you William, as it implies you entirely - not just Liam, a side of you that you project to your family, or Will - as your friends, colleagues call you. William as in you and all sides of you.”“Call me William then. I don’t think anyone else calls me that - I’ll make sure it stays that way.”“I had used the same logic when I asked you to call me Rosaline - It would mean me with all sides/faces, and my husband would be the only one to call me that. Silly, right?”“I don’t think it’s silly. Your thoughts were so deep, even as a child. My heart aches for you.”“Don’t be like t
Eventually, Tess and Jack could not take it anymore and called Maddox. He came and coaxed me until I told him everything.In my memory, that was the first time I had cried so miserably.I did not want to be a nasty person. But I also hated doing whatever I was doing/not-doing to be a good person.Bro, Tess, Jack, and Tessa’s grandmother would talk to me and convince me that I was not a terrible person.It took a couple of months. Finally, their words sank in, and I stopped acting out.But then something had changed in those few months.My parents were convinced the way I had acted out in those few months under Tina’s manipulations was the real me.For example - they thought I was an untidy person. I stopped being deliberately disorganized or messy. But they said I was trying to be like Tina.I was always an outstanding student. Apart from 1 exam in the middle of that school year when I deliberately did not answer half the questions so that Tina’s results could be better than mine, I h
William held Rosaline quietly as she spoke about her issues. He did not know how to console her or make her feel better.Rosaline noticed his somber expression as he lay by her side quietly without uttering anything. That made her chuckle.“Quit the long face, will you?”William pursed his lips and gave her a wronged expression.“When I talk about just that, it sounds like I had a terrible childhood. I did not. By all means, I have always had a good life. I have never lacked anything and always received the best of everything. My parents made sure of that.”“Brother had always indulged me, no matter what it was.”“I have always had friends by my side - Tess, Jack, and even Tristen. After I moved to the hostel, I met Tris and Amy. I have never been lonely.”“Even Grammy loved me just as much as Tess. Your Uncle and Aunt have always been nice to me.”“It’s just that Tina would ruin my special moments. Be it festivities or birthdays or graduation or anything. After I moved out and eventu
William only sighed at that.Rosaline asked. “Why are you sighing like an old man?”“I am afraid you will dump me for someone with a warm and welcoming family.”“Like Tristan?”“Can you not salt my wounds?”“I can assure you I’ll never get together with Tristen. Though, I have to invite him to dinner and pass him his gift. Let’s do that tonight if he is free.”“Why don’t you ask me if I am free?”“Are you not?”“I want to spend the night spooning my girlfriend.”“You might have to get yourself another girlfriend to do that.”“Heartless woman!”“Women have to be heartless. Otherwise, we’d get taken advantage of.”“Sucks to be me, then!”“What’s the issue between you and your mother?”__She is a bit like your parents. She treats everything Supriya says as gospel. I probably should not say this about my mother, but she is prone to flattery and is easily convinced as long as you act pitifully and project your ideas as her intelligent deductions.She becomes very stubborn when she puts he