Tessa had been counting the days since she had received Rosaline’s note.On the other hand, William was just as tense.He had a feeling that his Rosaline was now coming back.He got excited yet scared.One day he received an invitation to a charity event.Asteria kept looking at it and did not seem to plan to hand it over.“Miss Scott?” William said questioningly.“Yes, Boss, this came just now. But it’s addressed only as William. I did not know what to do.” She replied meekly.“Give it to me.” William took it from her and coldly added, “you may leave.”“Boss, can you take me with you if you go to the charity party?”“No.”“Boss, I..”“Miss Scott, close the door on your way out.” William interrupted her mercilessly. Asteria gave up and left his office crying.Felix saw her and could only shake his head at her.She had been there for a year, but William had not spoken one kind word to her.William kept staring at the neat handwriting on the envelope.He caressed it lovingly and sighed
Rosaline had been working without a break for the last few days.It was going to be the biggest charity event for CARE in its two-year run.When she had started it, it was just to lend a helping hand to a child who was suffering on the road, forced to beg and run from the syndicate of mercenaries who captured children to make them beg in the streets for their benefit.Despite being only seven at the time, Timothy was mature beyond his age.Even then, he understood that those mercenaries who promised to provide good food and shelter to the kids were evil. He lived one day at a time - minute to minute - working if he could, going hungry if he could not.No one would employ a dirty-looking seven-year-old lest they get caught by authorities for child abuse.The most he had managed over the years was helping out in restaurants late at night.Rosaline had found out about his policy.‘I will do all the dishes for you; you give me dinner and a blanket.’Over the years, he had managed to scra
“Miss Rosy, since you care, you will find a way. It will be difficult and might take a long time, but you will find it nonetheless.”Timothy’s words ignited hope in Rosaline.It was his words that had planted the seeds of the CARE foundation in her heart.It had taken them nearly two months since she brought Timothy home to resolve the issue with the syndicate. But it was merely the end of a beginning.The real problem was providing for those kids.Ill treated as they were, they slept under a non-leaking roof and ate every night when they worked for mercenaries.After getting rescued, even that became rare.It took her a few more months to generate enough funding, gather support, and register her non-profit organization - CARE.On one of the days when she was busy working for CARE registration, she realized she no longer had insomnia or panic attacks.Perhaps because she was too busy to think - between her work in Scott designs, which she had managed to negotiate to be allowed to work
Rosaline had not fully immersed herself in her work.She also traveled, took a few days off to relax in a hotel spa or shop, or just got wasted. She took therapy sessions and gradually weaned off them.She would send things to Tessa, Jack, Leena, her parents, Maddox and Ria, and Jeremy and Miranda.As much as she wanted to meet William, ask about him, and send things to him, she did not.She only sent him GPS locations. More and more frequently each time.Finally, she was ready to go back, to face him without guilt and shame.She had been feeling butterflies in her stomach. She was nervous and clumsy.Two days before the charity night, she was helping the staff decorate the CARE home in M city.This time the venue was CARE home. They would also do the official opening ceremony at the charity event.The inhabitants, only a handful, for now, were residing in a temporary home for the time being.Other CARE inhabitants were en route for their performance in the event and auction of the i
William shook his head a few times to gather his bearings.As he recalled what had happened, he looked around to see Rosaline getting up from the floor.He was about to ask what she was doing on the floor when he realized she was the one he had pushed off just a few seconds ago.He instantly jumped off the bed and was on her side.He did not get to say anything as she jumped and looped her arms around him, holding him tightly in her arms.He hugged her back even tighter. She patted his shoulders when she could not breathe, and he relaxed his grip a bit.“I missed you, dearest Rosaline,” William whispered, “My heartless little Lexi, three years. You let yourself suffer alone for three years.”“I was not alone. Did you not accompany me from afar, and Tess and the others too.”“I would have rather accompanied you in person.”“I missed you, William. I missed you so much. It was hard to breathe.”“Don’t!”“I won’t. Don’t ever let me leave your side from now on.”“That’s a promise.”Rosalin
Rosaline leaned against the door of her studio apartment as William looked around.Her studio apartment, as its name suggested, was small. It had a bed on the alleviated platform that used glass panes to separate it from other spaces, one couch that could get doubled as a bed, a sofa, two small tables, two chairs, a small kitchen with a small island, and a small bathroom. She had fitted wall cupboards in every available space. She had turned the wall beside her bed into a bookshelf. Rosaline leaned against the wall and kept looking at him. William suppressed his emotions and asked.“Are you going to keep standing there?”“Do you hate me?”Rosaline asked the question that had been bothering her all these years.William was stunned.‘Hate her? I can’t even love her enough.’He laughed self-deprecatingly and asked rhetorically.“What if I do? What if I don’t?”“If you don’t, then let me thank you. If you do, then let me make it up to you. Give me a chance.”“Why should I?”“I probably
Rosaline sat on William’s lap, straddling him, both covered with bubbles.She traced his face with her fingers. “When was the last time you slept well?” Rosaline asked, guilt evident in her voice.“I was just busy.”“Too busy to sleep.”“Don’t worry about it.”“I can’t help it. I don’t like it. I hate seeing you stressed or worried.”“Then don’t leave me again.”“I don’t plan to. If I have to go, I will kidnap you and bring you with me, keep you locked up in the basement for myself.”“When did you become so humorous?”’“Picked it up in the streets of Egypt.”“How did you manage to travel around the world?”“I worked remotely.”“Were you tired?”“It was hard at first, but then I got the hang of it. It was fun and fulfilling.”Rosaline kept talking about how she managed to go from one place to another, met Timothy, and how CARE started. She massaged his shoulders and neck. He was stiff as she continued talking.He listened to her in rapt attention, asking some details here and there.
William stilled inside Rosaline and kissed her tenderly on her swollen lips as they both lay motionless, trying to calm down.He did not come out of her. But instead flipped her over and pressed her on his body while wrapping her tightly in his arms.After a long while, when she calmed down, Rosaline realized he was still inside of her.The realization made her shiver. She looked up at William and found him staring at her.She did not dare to move, so she just pressed her palm over his eyes and kissed him on his chest.“Close your eyes and rest.” She said slowly, “your eyes will get dry like this.”“I don’t want to sleep.” He replied.“Talk to me then.” She said, drawing circles on his chest.He felt as if she was teasing him. She lay her head back on his chest and kept caressing him. “What are you thinking?”“Nothing.” Rosaline smiled at him, “I am just happy and satisfied.”“...”William was not sure if she was telling the truth.Ever since he met her, everything felt surreal.He w