"Please."
Theo's embrace loosened slightly as Rose remained silent. The truth was too painful to understand. Rose did not easily accept the explanation, which was that Theo had never intended to take the lives of her parents. "Dream that I'll stay by your side." Rose repeatedly elbowed the surface of her husband's stomach. Strong, hard, and undeniable. Everything became so easy, and Rose never gave up. She escaped after a great opportunity opened up. Rose's steps were steady through the doorway. In her haste to descend the stairs, Rose did not look back once. "Miss, why are you in such a hurry?" Right in front of the gate Rose squeezed in with Lion. Rose's breath floats to neutralize the pounding of her heart. As quick as a flash of Lion's eyes, Rose hid her firearm behind her back. "Let me borrow your car key." Rose immediately pulled the object from the master, already preparing to pull over past Lion. However, the sound of a gunsho"Is my wife okay?" Skeptical question. Rose really didn't want to hear it. Really didn't want to supply additional pain by letting Theo's caring attitude tear apart something that was already broken, something Rose couldn't even put back together. She pushed away the arm that had accidentally touched Theo's left shoulder. Wet and red were two kinds of things that almost broke down Rose's defenses. Theo was shot—again—in a different place right after protecting her. There wasn't much Rose could say. Deliberately separating herself from and staring at the owner of gray eyes that offered shade. Many times Rose had noticed the pallor on that face, but never as severe as it seemed at the moment. The moments before Theo returned to hold Rose tightly in his arms. Or actually Theo realized Mr. Alejandro was almost no longer far away. "Fuck!" A curse so close it was followed by a hurried clatter. One more shot .... No, it wasn't. But two, with Rose a
"Theo!" Rose shrieked violently as Theo's body fell helplessly against the seductive leaves swept away by the strong wind, just as Theo's chest heaved with difficulty.Rose approached, quickly resting Theo's head on her lap. The blood from the blow was too thick. Now the surface of Rose's hand was completely bathed in the thick red liquid and the rancid scent that emanated was no less piercing. "Sorry." The single spoken word tore Rose wider apart. She shook her head not wanting to hear anything else. But Theo argued with a look that was out of place. Theo's eyes almost closed, Rose immediately grasped the same bloodied fingers. "Why did you save me?" Rose's tone was choked. The contents of her head and her movements were not well synchronized. She asked while not wanting to dive into Theo's pain whenever the man spoke. "I love you." Three words that absolutely killed Rose. She was unable to react, except for the violent pounding that continue
Trembling hugging her own body in the middle of the jungle. Rose buried her face between her bent knees. Empty, alone, and scared. The last time Rose had been in the distance with Theo's men just to ascertain how her husband was doing, when they all agreed to take the man away. While others decided to split up to look for her whereabouts, which made her have to shuffle away from civilization. And now Rose was too far away. It would be quite difficult for anyone trying to find her. Thus, after hours there were no longer any cries of name, especially Lion's loud voice calling her. Rose was thankful that at least she hadn't gone back to Theo or she would have directly—from a close distance—witnessed how unlikely the man's condition was to survive. The blood everywhere, even the blood around Rose's face as she unconsciously smothered her lips, had dried up to the point where it was pulling at her skin. Rose sobbed, just hoping that the rain would race down to wash away eve
"Axe ...." Hoping too much until hope itself hit Rose's shadow. She thought Theo would come wherever she docked. Showing that her husband would always be fine like the past events. Instead, in front of Rose, those heterochromia eyes glared at her with an unreadable expression. "How come you're here?" "Who made you in this condition? Why are you covered in blood?" Xelle's deep, hoarse voice jolted Rose's senses. Her grief suddenly overflowed in one emotional engagement. Rose crawled quickly to hug the body that was not fully ready to receive the blow. However, she was still able to balance her position and return the suffocating embrace. The sound of crying and Rose's body again returned to trembling, noticeably shaking between the embrace that was still intertwined. "Take me away from here. Please." Rose said softly. She buried her face in the line of Xelle's shoulders as a light stroke traveled up her head. "Take me away from here, Axe. Please."
"Are you sure you're ready?" Xelle's deep, raspy voice was full of doubt. The eyes met intensely, as if to bare the thoughts of the interlocutor who acknowledged the statement with a slow nod. "Or you could just stay here until the funeral is over." Rose shook her head. "I'm ready." Continuing to speak only to really assure Xelle that she would still be there. Participating in guiding the departed soul to its final resting place. As much as possible Rose would try not to be affected by anything from the outside environment. She should fight against anything that might undermine her peace of mind. It was true that after a month of living in the hideout nothing had changed in Rose's feelings. She was still as upset as she was that day. It was a little difficult to control herself, even Rose was no longer as free as she should be. The various pressures were destroying the various things inside Rose. She had to be more careful without too much activity considering t
Rose looked at Bridgette's face for a long moment. Her lips parted to say something. Slightly undecided, she eventually made a sound. "No need, Bridgette." Rose tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She no longer had the blonde color for the sake of suppressing painful things. However, what really haunted Rose was Theo's phrase that once reminded her not to change her hair color under any circumstances. "Does Acampeliaz know that her mother is passed away?" asked Rose. Only then did Bridgette's expression turn grim. "Even if Campel knows, she doesn't quite understand what happened, Rose. I feel sorry for her. I wish her father wasn't such an asshole." A quip caught the attention of the one person in the driver's seat. The speed increased as hands tightened on the steering wheel. Xelle's jaw dropped, though the man did not utter any protest. "You must remember that two pregnant women are riding in your car, Axe." "Then, don't gossip."In reality Bri
"Theo!" Rose woke up not feeling well. Her mind was still focused on one sad name. Theodore Witson... which was clearly engraved on the tombstone Rose had found moments ago. She froze. Her feelings were crushed—crushed as often as the image of the tomb jolted her memory. "Where's Theo?" muttered Rose, no one in front of her could be trusted. For the blessed time Rose became a complete mess. She was messed up... very scared about the reality she had just known. Once again Rose wanted to get a closer look. Once again wanting to know how wet the ground was that buried her husband's body. Once wanted to feel how far her heart had been carried away. Could it die with Theo's wordless departure? Rose should have realized from the beginning. If indeed Theo recovered as she hoped, he wouldn't have taken so long to come and take her home. Rose knew Theo and her husband's desires... what could be said in more detail. Now Rose understood why Xelle had remained silent when she qu
In front of Rose, she was indeed meeting her husband's grave. Rose's eyes scrutinized a piece of land with one tall step. Slowly, she knelt down. Her trembling arms touched the damp part of the earth's crust that buried the body that Rose hadn't even seen for the last time. The particles of soil that she was now holding in her hands felt piercing. Rose didn't know what to do, but she desperately wanted to express her pain. Everything that had been pent up for a month. Rose took a deep breath. Exhaling the air roughly as she found the right words to speak. "How far have you traveled, Theo?" So soulfully Rose's fingers swept over the name engraved there. Rose smiled wryly, completely lacking the quiet passion of her life. "You saw the test pack. You knew I was pregnant, why did you leave? Now what about me, Theo?" Rose chuckled to herself. It wasn't the first time she had been hit by reality. Rose shouldn't be surprised by fate playing tricks on her. "Want to feel the presenc
Zever's sudden departure made quite an impression on Rose. At that moment she and Travis silently watched the backs of two people who were moving away. Rose didn't dare say anything as she herself realized Travis was leaving her behind—Travis looked down and Rose hoped he was okay, then followed with careful steps carrying her triplet into the mansion building. Two hours after the incident in the back garden, and after putting the children to bed, Rose soon caught up with Zever's whereabouts. Through the messages given to Lion, Rose certainly monitored whatever was happening outside. This included asking how Travis was doing. The man was behaving as before, but there was one problem. Zever in the living room with a ripple face so cold and gray eyes that stared half-empty arranged miniature joints on the table. Rose repeatedly took a breath just to steady herself sitting next to her husband. "Zever," Rose called out, wanting to make sure he would respond or not. Z
"I'm done, Theo. Now it's your turn—" Rose thought, after stepping out of the bathroom and changing there. She would find Theo keeping all three of their babies in their proper positions, but that big body—in his sideways sleep—seemed to be deeper than the three babies who were snoozing peacefully. Exhausted. That's how Rose interpreted it, because these days Theo was often busy in the middle of the night—looking after their babies, while Rose was forced to rest. Rose smiled slightly as she rubbed the top of Theo's head. It was only for a moment that she turned to her triplets to transfer them to the trolley. Rose would take them for a walk in the back garden. Finished with the transfer she returned to Theo simply covering her husband's body with a thick blanket. "We're leaving first." Rose briefly kissed the corner of Theo's face. She pushed the trolley carefully towards the elevator. Rose already knew where the elevator was, it was quite hidden—and Theo had no
"I got a lot of grandchildren." O'Douglas laughed like a pirate captain who had just discovered a historic treasure. Each of the middle-aged man's arms flanked two tiny babies, while the other was in the arms of Verasco, who continued to hold them, occasionally bringing them closer with a lighthearted joke. There was no telling what Rose would say as she watched her children being swarmed as soon as Verasco and O'Douglas walked into the ward. She had just finished breastfeeding, so the satiated babies would just sleep through the day, and not trouble their two grandfathers. "You never stopped looking at me," Rose said quietly. Most of the time Theo had a glare on his face, but right now the gray bead was shining something different. It was so loving and some of it Rose couldn't interpret correctly. How could Rose stand being shot at so closely. Theo had to, just once, look away from her. "Thank you, Sugar." A gentle touch on the skin of Rose's face made her
Rose didn't expect Theo to take her to the island of Ortogia, the historical center of the Sicilian city of Sirakusa, to enjoy the beauty of the Mediterranean sea. The scents by the sea were soothingly beautiful. Rose had not forgotten that Theo had not once let go of her body on the man's broad shoulders after walking along the old buildings on the islands of Ortogia. "Whose house is this?" asked Rose looking at a sturdy building that looked like it was meant for two people to live in. "Our house." There wasn't much Rose could say, except to bury her face deep in the hollow of Theo's neck. The masculine scent was still very much present, even after they had spent the whole day entertaining the guests, as if the perfume was very much at home on Theo's clay skin. "Want to go straight to bed or shower first, Sugar?" In front of a door Theo stopped and let Rose get on the floor. Between hesitation and the need for something fresh she finally looked up at Theo.
"Ready?" Rose nodded as Theo spoke over the top of her head. She was indeed standing with her back to Theo, holding the handle of a long cookie-cutter knife, while Theo's large fingers grasped each of her knuckles warmly. The multi-tiered cake, or not much different from a fragile tower, was being split open. The blade slowly descended downward to symbolize sharpness. Rose smiled almost melting into laughter when Theo whispered something funny to her, funny but Rose wouldn't tell anyone. Let her keep it to herself and make it an important fun moment. After the first slice of cake Rose and Theo should have been feeding each other. Instead Theo scooped out the cream and immediately applied it to Rose's lower lip. Rose's face was a mess, but that was exactly what Theo wanted. He took Rose's lips like he was taking a delicious cake. The sweetness of the sugar and butter mixture seemed to make Theo insatiable. He licks Rose so intimately—there's no end to it—that Rose
"It's enough. I'm full." Again Rose had to restrain herself as Theo's big fingers tried to push away the bowl of white porridge in her hand. "Just a little more, Theo. You have to finish your porridge." "Come on." Rose brought another spoonful of porridge closer, but that face refused. "Don't make me eat bad porridge, Sugar. It's tasteless." "That's why if you eat while looking at me, you'll get some flavor." "One more bite. I promise after this is over." "I don't believe it. You said that earlier, don't you remember?" Rose's wide grin completely fooled Theo. The man was exactly a child who had lost his appetite. It was very difficult to persuade him to open his mouth. "This time I'm serious about the last one. Ahk... open wide." Rose thought Theo would immediately accept her bribe. Instead, the man moved the elbow of Rose's hand, moving the bow of the spoon to Rose's own lips. "You should eat too." "I ate earlier," Ro
One day after Theo regained consciousness, Rose finally decided to return to her home, the place where she once lived alone next to her small restaurant. At the moment there wasn't much for Rose to do other than prepare to meet Theo at the hospital. Rose immediately drove her father's borrowed car. On the back passenger seat she placed a medium-sized box with several holes in it that was wrapped very beautifully. While beside her sat a cute little dog with curly hair and white color like cotton. Yesterday Rose had just bought the poodle breed at the pet shop. Intrigued. That was all that drew Rose's desire to bring home the poodle named Cocomelo. "We've arrived." Rose prepared a special backpack to carry Cocomelo on her shoulders, so that when she first entered the infirmary Theo would not immediately meet her Cocomelo but Rose would show him. And in her hand, she carried the medium-sized box and walked into the hospital. Not just daring, but Rose had already ob
Coming back from the bathroom, Rose thought she would be faced with the same situation. She had warned against it by waiting longer in the humid room until some of the noises from outside faded away. But everything Rose had expected was not true. The blood seepage on the floor when she opened the door was gone. Verasco's subordinates... even Verasco himself was nowhere to be seen, in his husband's infirmary. All that was left was Lion waiting very quietly, arms folded across his chest as he watched Theo silently. "Are you still here, Lion? Where are the others?" asked Rose as her steps brushed the side of the blanket. "Mr. Verasco asked me to wait here, Miss." Lion's attention was finally diverted. Rose suspected that he had just returned from the police station and helped Verasco and Elijah to execute George. As for George's betrayal, perhaps it was a wake-up call for Verasco to be more intolerant of hidden intentions and whatever else might happen. "Where is my
"On the way home. Their story has a happy ending. Finished." Rose closed the 400 pages book and placed it on the nightstand. Reading sweet stories had become her routine in the past few days. Rose smiled slightly at her husband's face who was lying so quietly. This morning the breathing apparatus had just been removed indicating Theo's condition was getting better after the bloody spear incident. Luckily, they immediately brought Theo to get the right treatment. Theo had to undergo surgery three times. He had lost a lot of blood and needed transfusions as soon as possible. Rose remembered that some arguments happened between them regarding Theo who had very step blood, even Verasco was helpless about it. Just a Wench .... That's what Verasco said at that time with a trembling tone of voice. Like he was so regretful. Really regretful, until finally Travis suggested the few people who were still left in Italy to bring some bags of Theo's blood that were taken two