Rosaline changed the topic and told Tessa about Kevin.“I went to Uncle Kevin’s today.”“Did you get him the medicine?”“Left it by the counter.”“I want to do something for him.”“Me too.”“I have no idea.”“Maybe we could help him renovate his shop. Rename it with his son’s name and make it popular.”“I think he will like that.”“If he has an apprentice, he will not be so grief-stricken.” “Will he take one?”“Maybe.”“Alright, let’s sleep on it.”The next day, around 9 am, Rosaline received a call from William. “Hey, did I wake you?”“Umm”“Do you want to go out?”“Alright. Let me freshen up and eat something first.”‘Tess is right! Rather than regret not trying, let me face whatever comes up if I try.’Rosaline thought as she agreed to go with William. After losing their pursuers, they went to the waterfall. They rested there for a while, enjoying the view and the food they had brought. “Tell me something about yourself,” William asked.“What about me?”“Anything?”“How am I s
Rosaline thought for a while and added.“I think that’s probably the difference between men and women. Or maybe it’s just me.” William asked, genuinely interested. “What do you mean?”Taking Tessa’s advice, Rosaline tried to open her heart and articulate her feelings.“An understanding and trusting family gives you the confidence to test your limits because you know they will have your back.”“I can take a leap of faith, knowing I have somewhere I can always go back to if everything goes to shit.”“But lack of it makes you vulnerable and weak. Too cautious to live to the fullest.”“If my parents don't have faith in me. Since they can readily believe every bad thing about me, perhaps, I am a bad person. Maybe I am unworthy.”“Otherwise, why would they be like that? After all, they love me.”Rosaline muttered the last statement in an emotionless voice as if she was talking theoretically rather than about herself.But the suppressed grievances in her voice broke William's heart. “I’m s
William jumped to Rosaline’s rescue.“Hello, Sir! We met on Apex hill over a decade ago.”William went right to the point.“It was by the hidden waterfall. You helped me pick some herbs for the snake bite. Do you perhaps remember me?”The man exclaimed.“Ahh! No wonder you looked familiar. Look how you have grown into a fine gentleman. And you have gotten yourself a pretty girlfriend, I see.”“Thank you, sir. I’m still wooing her, though. She has not agreed yet.”Rosaline was speechless.“Hahahaha. It’s good to be young.” “So, what brings you here, lad?”“Sir, I was wondering if you could help me again.”“Sure. Anything we can do, we’ll be sure to help.”“There’s a garden the old man of the house had maintained. I don’t recognize most trees there, and the soil seems to be going bad. Everything is getting dried up from one corner on.”“So, I was hoping you could help me look after it. If it’s not feasible for you, maybe you could help me find someone who can help?”“We don’t live in A
Meanwhile, Jack and Rosaline kept arguing about what to do with the wooden cupboards.Finally, they agreed to modify them into a separator between the bedroom and cloakroom without damaging the existing structure.It worked well as they wouldn’t need to raise a wall to separate the cloakroom. A little tradition, to be sure, but a good solution for the house.Then they proceeded to mark all the furniture one by one and made several copies of the designs they had drawn for each.Jack decided it was best to work on the mansion itself rather than carry things back and forth. Besides, most of it was hand-work, so he only needed to bring over a few tools.After deciding on the pay and Jack’s feasibility so he could work without interruption, they decided to start it the following week.Jack estimated it might take around 10-12 days to complete everything, so they parted ways after exchanging contact details and scheduling the next appointment. Rosaline and William got very busy working on
A week went by in a flash.William and Rosaline had sorted everything in the outhouse. Glen and Anna moved in comfortably without much hassle.The renovation of the tool shed in the outhouse was also completed.William had personally driven Glen to buy whatever was needed.Despite Anna’s reluctance, Rosaline took her around to buy proper clothes, gloves, shoes, and other personal equipment they might need to maintain such a large area.With the help of a professional, they did soil tests and made a detailed corrective plan which did not include the usage of any chemicals. Hardworking as they were, William was frustrated within three days and had to make a strict rule for breaks. Otherwise, the Jins would miss food and rest.Despite Glen’s protests, William had someone dig a proper canal around the back garden so you would not need to water all the trees one by one. Glen and Anna had complete freedom to add new trees, plants, herbs, flowers, vegetables, or whatever they wished. It ma
One day Rosaline and William decided to have a get-together with all their friends.It was both a part of the plan and a natural development between them.Naturally, Supriya got wind of it and was fuming. They had agreed to go to Tipsy Topsy.Unlike most pubs, Tipsy Topsy was famous for its food. And for its unique cocktail drinks, as pubs do. Moreover, only Will knew that Albert was the actual owner of it.Albert had bought it five years back when it was close to being shut down for investment. Aunty Aria had helped him revive it and bring it to its current glory.Within three years, it had become one of the top 10 most famous hang-outs in Apex city. As such, everything was under Chandler’s observation, and they were just waiting for the fish to catch the bait. They had everyone present - Rosaline and her friends - Ella, Amy, Tris, Jack, Leena, and Peter. William and his friends - Evan, Bella, Pete, and Evelyn.The besties, Albert and Tessa, were purposefully absent as they were
Tris - Finally! So, Will, what’s the most physically intimate you have been with a woman? Rosaline glared at Tris, who winked at her.William looked at Rosaline hopelessly while she just shrugged. ‘Between the truth and pole dance, I don’t think there’s a choice. Fuck!’ William - Got a blowjob once. (shrugs)(What? All of Will’s friends jerked up.)Pete - WTF? Are you sure? Evan - Was it a girl? William - Or what?Bella - Does the girl know?(William rolled his eyes.)Evelyn - Were you at gunpoint?William - Lost a bet.Tris - How was it?William - Disgusting. (grimaces)Tris - Who was it?William - I have already answered multiple questions.Jack - (looked at Rosaline) Do you know this?Rosaline - Yes.Leena - So, you guys have had that conversation?Rosaline - No, I knew it before I knew him.William - Wait! What?(Everyone laughed at him.)William - Are you serious? How? Why?Rosaline - Tess was the one who pranked you. I knew it the day it happened. When we met in the
Rosaline - (ignores Ella) Nice try, Leena! Amy, honey, it’s alright. There is nothing to be mad about; we were only upset because we thought it was some bad guy who played you.Rosaline - You had a thing for my brother. It shows you have excellent taste in men. Well done!! I’m proud of you.Amy - (sobs pitifully) Really?Rosaline - (hugs her while patting her back) You are so silly. Why would I be mad at that? Even Tris had a crush on Max.Tris - Hey! Rosaline - (rolls her eyes) Don’t overthink, okay? I won’t tell him about it. So, don’t be awkward when you see him. He treats you, Tris, Ella, and Leena as his sisters. Amy - You are not lying to make me feel better, are you?Rosaline - No, I’m not lying. Don’t overthink it. I’m so proud of my brother. All of my girlfriends had a crush on him. Only there’s something wrong with Tessa’s brain.(Amy finally laughed as a huge burden lifted off her chest.)Jack - (knocks on Rosaline’s head) Stop puffing already. You look ugly. Rosaline -
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