"Your body is hot, Sugar. You have a fever...."
It had only been an hour since Rose had drifted off to sleep with Theo's heartbeat and hers thumping loudly. Rose had to accept the shock as Theo positioned himself to sit against the headboard. Rose's arms were still tightly wrapped around him, carried along by the changes Theo was making. His half-slumped position forced her to look up between the fingers touching the tip of her chin. Theo's attentive gaze offered many things. One of them made Rose unable to stare any longer. "I'm fine." Rose lowered her head, placing her face in direct contact with the surface of her husband's bare chest. Rose's arms tightened around Theo's hips to gain as much comfort as possible. The intoxicating scent of the body, to the unmissable warmth made Rose almost close her eyes when Theo suddenly broke away. Theo seemed to be searching for something to find. Some cloth lying on the floor the man picked up and c"Come here," Rose said, patting the mattress. The brief movement made the bed sway slightly. Theo was already right by her side, clutching her arm and playing with the top of Rose's head. "Sleep, Sugar. I'll keep an eye on you here." "You're not sleeping either?" "I will later. You first." Rose wasn't going to argue with anything Theo said. Those eyelids were fresh... it seemed like it would be hard to get Theo back to sleep. "Yes, already. I'm going to sleep. You're—watch your back." "What else am I going to do with you?" A brief snicker provoked Rose to give her husband's clay belly a light pinch. Little fights were always Theo's making. The iron man would suddenly act like cotton wool in her presence. "You never change. Always annoying!"*** "Just looking for a prostitute's true identity, that's something you can't do?" A cold tone broke out in the dimness of madnes
"Are you sure you want to meet the master in his office, Miss?" Rose decided against pouring maple syrup into a small jar. She had already prepared several slices of pancakes in a lunch box, including fresh fruit to complement her husband's breakfast. Rose smiled faintly at the middle-aged woman who was faithfully waiting. "Of course, Beatrace. Theo must remember that he has stomach problems. Can't accidentally miss getting food into his stomach just because he's so busy." Only then did Rose return to busying herself with the bottle in hand. "I know Theo loves pancakes. He won't be able to refuse food from me." Rose set aside the maple syrup to fill the tube nestled between the cracks of the lunch box. Tidying everything up, until there was nothing left for Rose to do. "The master says you're not well, doesn't he, Miss?" Beatrace's question momentarily froze Rose. It wasn't entirely true. However, occasionally Rose still felt the dizziness coming on.
Right in front of Theo's office. In the space between the glass doors, a beautiful, dexterous woman rose to bow respectfully to Rose. "Good morning, Mrs. Witson." Rose's eyebrows knitted deeply. She smiled stiffly, then looked at Lion uncomprehendingly. "Why does she know me?" asked Rose in a half-whisper. As far back as Rose could remember, Theo had never introduced her to anyone else. Even looking back, when they were at the altar only certain people were able to get Rose's attention—not including the woman who was her husband's secretary, Sonya. "Mr. Witson is receiving guests, ma'am. Would you perhaps like to wait or leave something?" "I feel old being called that. Just call me Rose, it sounds better." Rose tucked a few loose strands of hair forward. The look in Sonya's eyes was too formal, Rose wasn't used to it. She looked down for a moment to compose herself. "I'll just wait here." Rose said very quietly, never expecting to say anything untowar
Unfortunately, the truth came out and almost completely destroyed Rose. The lunch box packed in the small bag in Rose's hand came loose and hit the floor, pulling Rose's ability to struggle. The surge of Rose's breath came roaring out. That face... was currently helpless before her. Scared and looking down, the only thing Rose could find in the man she had been searching for. George .... The heat of Rose's mind overflowed. She clenched her fingers, then a storm of anger gathered in a dynamic centered on one main axis. Nimble and uncontrollable as Rose was, she pulled the cloth collar on the body of the man who had done nothing. Silent, occasionally glancing at Theo. "I got you." Rose really couldn't help herself until she lunged into the gap of George's legs and shook the man's body violently many times. What a pleasant coincidence. Rose's voice was shrill as the commotion erupted. Rose had been quite patient so far, for that matter she was so eager to weaken
"Don't let him go." Rose woke up to the rest of the painful memories, instantly paired with a pair of gray beads that struck her face sharply. She didn't know how Theo had come to rest on the arm of the sofa—not on top of her, but trapping Rose between a large body covered in a long shirt rolled up above the man's elbows. "Where's George? I have to get him!" Once Rose attempted to rise, she was confronted with the solid, firm surface of his chest as a shield. Rose's breath caught, running out of ways to deal with whatever she had to accept. Should Rose blame herself for the stupidity of letting George Keneddy get away without a sliver of hope that she could hold on to him. "I want to see George." Rose's brown eyes blinked for the umpteenth time. She wanted to go back in time to just a few moments ago. Such a terrible failure had led her to a similar dream. "I want to see George." Rose mumbled under Theo's watchful eye. Her husband watched silentl
Theo was not foolish to attribute the qualified truth to the worst, and he chose not to know anything. Except this time George Keneddy's involvement seemed to reopen the case that Theo had deliberately suppressed. The murder and the tattoos Rose had mentioned. Especially the scalp tattoo that Theo had never seen. He began to think the two were connected. "So you sought me out to take the life of your parents' murderer?" Sharp and hissing, that was the kind of thing that made Rose have to hold her breath. For the sake of her sanity Rose couldn't stay silent, letting things get more complicated. "I want to meet George. Find out who the leader is and yes, you have to kill them for me." Rose's consistency was still the same. Slightly fiery said that wish while clutching the shirt tightly to her husband's chest. "What price will you offer?" She began to dare to negotiate. In front of Rose, Theo's eyebrows were raised high. "How much will I offer? Can I make i
"Why are you taking me back to your mansion?" Along the way Rose had been plagued with confusion. Her question was only asked when the car was parked in the grounds of a large, towering building. "He's inside." Briefly. Theo opened the car door taking Rose with him. Instead of entering the main gate, they went to the right wing where a door opened that led them into a dark hallway. "Where are we going, Theo?" asked Rose, squeezing tightly the fingers that were joined and clasped between her knuckles. "The basement." It came as a surprise to Rose, as she had never known such a room existed while living with her husband. "How come George is here?" "I commissioned Lion to get him while you were unconscious." So .... Rose wanted to speak up again, but in front of her was the helplessness of George Keneddy who had been completely paralyzed. Rose glanced at Theo as the man knelt beside George Keneddy. The gag forcibly pulled aw
"You're just going to waste your time here. There's no point. Now we'd better go." So worthless in Theo's eyes. He didn't know that Rose had spent most of her life searching. Just because of one man's point of view in an instant all Rose's struggles were gone. Theo had destroyed all the hard work that had been fruitless until this moment. Without George Keneddy where should Rose start again. Rose's position is no longer what it was before she knew Theo. Just as Canada and Italy contained different stories. "What are you waiting for, Sugar. Let's go." Rose brushed away the fingers that almost touched her arm. She looked down deeply followed by lips that thinned uneasily. She did her best not to spit out the water that was racing down her memory lane, making her eyes glaze over. "You have no idea what kind of effort I've put in just for this one person. Sacrificing everything. My time and thoughts, even my pride." Rose's tone was
"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
"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
"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
Theo touched the bleeding wound on hid stomach. That was the only thing Rose saw, while the firing point Rose had given him should not have been there. She missed. However, she kept the muzzle of the gun pointed higher when not once did Theo stop the pace. "I told you not to come any closer, Theo!" "You're a murderer!" "Murderer!" Rose repeatedly cried out in anger. She was capable of recklessness, especially over the doubts that had been wrapped like a heart in her mind. There was no love for Rose's feelings of being forcefully killed. She had been through a lot, and so had the choices that were lined up in front of Rose right now. Two of them... completing the mission or letting it become something forgotten. "I told you not to come any closer, if you don't want me to shoot you again!" Rose's threat was indeed as bad as the way she held the gun. How Rose didn't care who was standing in front of her and what status she was tied to. The more The
A heartbeat that should have been filled with happy news. Rose couldn't help but wonder if she was about to receive bad news. Trembling, Rose's forefinger pressed the 'enter' button to directly prove whether or not her suspicions had grown into a big pile of fear. Thankfully, the document's series of sentences were written in English, so Rose could understand what explained every detail of her parents' deaths. 'All the facts' starting from the date the deal was made, how long it would take just to complete the task, and the manner of execution until the plan absolutely took two precious lives of Rose's parents. Rose clamped her lips together. Her face was flushed red with all kinds of emotions raging in her head. She was looking for Theo to avenge her, only to find Theo as the killer of her parents. How could this be possible? Rose shook her head violently to deny the reality that tore at her heart. Rose's guerrilla of common sense splashed violently. She turned a
Double line. The flat object in Rose's hand was an unbelievable display. She touched her own chest, trying to suppress the burst of warm feelings that kept breaking the violent pounding in the heart. Another double line. Rose held her breath almost speechless. Her brown eyes never stopped looking at the test pack, until she pulled the bathroom door open to face the middle-aged woman waiting in front. "I'm... pregnant, Beatrace!" Rose spoke once. She jumped for joy hugging Beatrace's body quite tightly. Rose's happiness was quickly contagious. Her smile managed to curl both corners of the woman's lips, who couldn't even say anything yet, except for the obvious emotion on her face. Just like a mother yearning for a grandchild-Beatrace showed it all... no less tightly embracing Rose's body. "Congratulations on the pregnancy, Miss." "Mr. T should know soon. He'll be very happy." Rose confirmed Beatrace's words. Returning her att
"Elsesa, are you done? Why haven't you come out yet?" Mr. Alejandro pushed aside the body of the woman in front of the tightly closed frame, a woman about the age of his daughter, Alexa, whom Mr. Alejandro had hired to accompany Elsa on a daily basis. It's true that lately, the culprit of Elsa's chaotic behavior has been Mr. Alejandro's monthly. Now it was evident that Alexa was calling her name loudly and fearfully, occasionally knocking on Elsa's bathroom door before Mr. Alejandro's arrival. The two were still waiting to see when Elsa would appear after saying nothing to Alexa. What she was doing in there was the big question. Mr. Alejandro gave Alexa a sharp look. "How long has Elsesa been locked up and why isn't she answering me?" The coldness of Mr. Alejandro's question pierced Alexa's mind. The woman looked down even more frightened."I don't know why Miss Elsesa is reluctant to answer, sir. But Miss Elsesa has been there for half an hour." Alexa spoke numbly. F
Rose's mesmerizing face never escaped the deep gray gaze. Theo's silence was only followed by the movement of fingers rubbing the top of the woman's head which offered a puzzle for Theo to solve on his own. He thought of many things .... About the crossed skull tattoos and various other secrets. An opportunity where Theo could find out through the cyber world, which was the only way by hacking into the security system that Theo had perfected a few years ago at the request of Verasco who paid him handsomely. Foolishly, at a young age Theo had vowed to his mother, Eleanor, to never be interested in the ins and outs of Verasco's organization. Plus Theo never cared what Verasco did outside of his involvement or when he had to be involved as the heir to the organization before Sean's appearance. It's possible that Verasco's decision will shift, if and when Sean is willing to replace the middle-aged man. Or not necessarily, given that Verasco has a great deal to consider betw
Rose's breath hitched, then she inched back toward the headboard. "I'm going to bed. If he asks again, tell him I don't want to be disturbed by anyone." Rose pulled the thick blanket over her body. As hard as it was Rose forced herself to close her eyes. It wasn't long before the touch of Beatrice's fingers on her arm woke her tightly closed lids. "Are you asleep, Miss?" Rose shook her head almost imperceptibly. Turning half of her body simply looked at the shady face of the woman who had positioned herself better. "There's something I'd like to ask you. Do you mind?" Rose's eyebrows raised high. Curious and clueless at the attitude Beatrace was displaying. "If I may know when was the last time you had your period, Miss?" When .... Rose couldn't quite remember. But if she had to confirm further, perhaps the eight days of Theo's departure while they were on the private island was the exact answer Rose could give to Beatrace. "Why