"No, I'm not. This is already neat. There's your suit that I can use later. Let's go." Rose led Theo forcibly through every corner of the room to the grounds of the mansion.
The Bugatti chiron that Theo used most often was parked awaiting the master's arrival. Rose opened the door and sat in the passenger seat. She still couldn't understand how Theo could want to cancel their departure so suddenly. "Are you sure you can drive or should I be safer?" Rose asked. She hesitated, occasionally glancing at the fingers gripping the steering wheel. "I can do whatever I want." Theo's haughty sentence ended with the car engine running. Theo's attention was fully focused staring straight ahead. Something different provoked a smile on Rose's slightly curved lips. "Did the car accident put you off?" She glanced at the speedometer below 30. Very slow, a far cry from the usual. "Not really. I did it on purpose. This way when we arrive, al"Five million euros." What fell from her husband's hot lips was the final offer at the height of the charity event. Rose gasped in disbelief. Theo had the audacity to risk that amount of money on a glittering necklace that was linked to a mannequin neck. Rose knew Italy and Canada didn't have the same currency. However, the euro and the dollar were quite close. At least she could convert the price of the struggling necklace based on the dollar amount. "For a necklace, isn't it too expensive, Theo?" Rose half-whispered looking around her. Millionaires gathered in one event, all classy haggling over prices from the initial benchmark to the highest, and which no one dared to beat with other prices. Rose was still waiting for Theo's answer. Her husband was too busy studying the flat object in his hand. "Wait for me here. I'll take care of the payment first." When Theo loomed. The only thing Rose could do was stare at the big
Theo's statement signaled Rose's mind was far from unreasonable. Apparently the man was still in his right mind to whisper such sentences in another language—French that the baritone—voiced owner, Rose's husband, was fluent in as he approached the host—they talked for a long time. Unlike Rose's position, who successfully received envious stares from several women down there. The stage is where all visuals are clearly captured. Even the guests outside the building, the shadows of the passers-by were caught in the translucency of the glass. "Come, Sugar." A soft invitation tingled next to Rose's hearing. She followed where Theo would lead her. They walked up the stairs one step at a time with each other's footsteps and arms clasped to show Theo's possessive side. Not knowing if this was a coincidence or not. On the last step, Rose's never—ending scanning of the entire building came to a screeching halt with a fierce face glaring at her.
"Happy birthday, Mommy!" Oracle's tiny fingers twirled the confetti, sending small pieces of paper flying into each other and slowly falling to meet the top of the head of the woman who had just taken a step onto the ivory-white marble. She was startled by a deafening sound not far from her position. Halfway down Rose raised her hands, letting a few papers fall into her grasp. Once there was no more waving left. The corner of Rose's lips carved a thin curve. She looked up to meet the pregnant woman's sweet smile. Bridgette with a large cake and lit candles approached Rose who was still transfixed, never expecting this to be a surprise. "Make a wish and blow out the candles, Rose." What could Rose wish for in her life right now? Each page of the coming day was a mystery. She could not guess how far fate would take her across all sorts of events, and when Rose's handful of wishes would grow into fruit ripe for the picking.
"She is Axe's niece?" Rose gave a small whisper. She frowned as Bridgette swallowed roughly the remaining cookie in her mouth. "No." The woman replied half reluctantly."Axe's daughter. Campel is with another woman. The point is that I'm married to a bastard, Rose. You know him, of course, so I won't tell you much." A forced smile-Rose calmly took in every word that passed Bridgette's lips. All the things... she either believed or didn't. For once she didn't interrupt. Waiting for her to finish. "Bridgette, can you watch Campel for a moment? There's something I need to take care of." The new one spoken of towered over. Snooping sharply at Acampeliaz's whereabouts beside Theo. "He's with your friend. You take it easy." "Keep an eye on him." Xelle's heterochromia eyes turned away and brought the cell phone closer to answer a call from someone. Busyness drove Xelle's steps to swing quickly as if pressed for time. Le
Rose went through all the activities this night with a feeling of half—sadness. Each need that she had to complete... came tumbling out, including the time when Rose had to unravel the traces of numbers and letters recorded in her memory and transfer those shadows to a digital record on her phone. She had already set aside the most important part about George to do later. The distance was getting closer, it wasn't difficult for Rose to reach the reality left in front of her eyes. Where George was going, at least Rose already held the key that would open the padlocked door for her. Rose's faint smile was followed by fingers playing with Oracle's tanned hair—each of the little boy's strands belonged exactly to Xelle along with the soft texture that never changed. Indeed, just moments ago Oracle had fallen asleep peacefully. In stark contrast to Rose's anxiety over her husband, who was like a waterfall falling and washing away the entirety of her disoriented state.
Rose did everything she could. However, only one such statement was able to pull Theo away. "I'm not angry. I just don't like it when he thinks things that aren't." The rough stomp of a glass foot drew one of Rose's eyebrows up high. "How can you say that?" "His eyes never blind me. He looks at me as if I'm going to abuse that little girl. But, I'm not" "Axe couldn't possibly—" Rose's sentence was cut off by Theo's sliding action against her arm. The bottle Rose had set aside far away was grabbed again. This time Theo downed the wine directly with it. "Want some?" Rose shook her head. Rejecting Theo's offer outright. Just a glass of cold water that was almost empty after Rose took a sip at a time—almost without pause."I want you to sleep, Theo," Rose said. She didn't know what else to say as Theo continued to gulp the wine into him without stopping. "Enough, Theo—" Rose was frozen by
"Uncle T, you hurt me. Let me go!" "Uncle T!" Rose tried to understand the situation in the dim room. Faint squeals of pain clashed in the air. Rose frowned, as the almost uninterrupted movement in its entirety pulled her closed brown eyes wide open. In front of Rose several black events were fully recorded, broadcasting the silhouette of a rough resistance along with a small body that was trying hard to pull himself out of the grip of the subconscious. Rose's heart hammered violently. All the chaos overlapped to form ornaments in her head. She took definite steps, quickly bringing half the darkness to light. And then some things that Rose couldn't digest properly, appeared in a heap, jolting her feelings. On that torture—like bed .... Oracle was completely unable to resist the strong grip that could be seen from the muscles digging into the surface of the large, clayey, man—sized arms of the person there. The
"Travis." Rose pushed her way in, making the man behind the ledger jump. "Sorry, Travis. I was in a hurry." "What is it, Miss?" The light question came after Travis closed the thin sheet marked with a string. "Do you have any painkillers or anything to treat the bruises on Oracle's hands? Theo just had a nightmare and accidentally did this to him. I'm scared if anything happens." Travis's eyebrows shot up. "Mr.T just had a nightmare?" he asked. In stark contrast to Rose's haste. Travis was too calm to notice the extent of the bruise. "No need to worry, miss. You'd better see the master, I'll treat him." Travis smiled. She hesitated between refusing or agreeing. Rose glared at Travis and Oracle's faces in turn. She blinked. "Are you sure there's nothing to worry about?" "Yes, Miss. I can handle it. You should see the master. He may need you." Stunned, considering things from all angles. Rose finally sighe
Rose had to admit that Theo was quite different by remaining silent when their position was intact. The last sentence from her was ignored, the man was busy sniffing Rose's body scent. Deeply nuzzling the surface of her flat stomach. "Take a shower." Rose played with the black hair warmly. She smiled as Theo looked up at her. "Take a bath with me?" The ash bead drowned Rose deep in the warm ocean. She pursed her lips as she pulled Theo's facial skin wide to the side. "I'm old enough to bathe by myself. Hurry up...." A faint shake of Rose's head brought her to fall on her back on the bed. Theo's thirsty face and the man's large fingers began to dig into a t-shirt depicting a black bear, just like Theo who was currently resting on top of her. "I told you to take a shower, Theo. Not—" Rose was silenced by the tongue thrusting into her mouth. The sound of a wet sniffle trails off—a greeting of desire igni
Slowly Rose's eyelids slipped from their valves. The same Theo stared, silhouetted against each other in the mirror—Rose was lost in the seduction of the locking gray bead. "I was thinking of Oracle. He knows I don't like wearing earrings. Deliberately gifted me earrings so I'd wear them," Rose replied, successfully drawing one of Theo's eyebrows up high. "He's here, isn't he? Why don't you go straight to him." Theo's baritone voice whispered softly. Comparable to the smile on Rose's lips that curved again-this time briefly and too faintly. "He's back home ...." "Home?" Rose's body was slightly freed as Theo moved his face away from the crook of her neck. "Yes. Axe came to pick him up earlier." One step away she found Theo moving backwards. "Strange. Oracle came home because he was afraid of me, right? Did I hurt him too much?"Theo's quiet tone disturbed Rose's mind. She scrutinized the few times Theo's expre
Rose didn't care how the swaying bed jerked like a violent swinging shock. She maximized each powerful gallop like a giant crashing into the earth. Theo's body was a soft target for her feet. The man moaned in a submerged voice. Yet, also with pleasure... sometimes asking Rose to move from one spot to another. "Up again, Sugar. Up to the shoulders." Rose chuckled, still doing everything Theo wanted. One foot stomped even harder on her husband's hot, sexy shoulders. "That's it," Rose said. One leap ended the earthquake on the surface of Theo's body. She flung herself down beside the sleeping man. "You said you will give me back my gift box!" "I need to know. Who gave you the gift?" "Oracle. Here, give it back quickly." Rose's arms extended to pull the red velvet box in Theo's grasp. Their positions were in sync, both using their arms as a fulcrum to lift their chests. "Let me open it." Theo's large fingers separa
"No, you don't. You had your fill of acting like a baby last night." Rose ruffled the remaining strands of hair that still dangled over half of Theo's face. She looked down, searching for the most comfortable spot to strike. "Ouh, Sugar ...." A contrived hiss. Rose knew that no matter how much she clenched her teeth, it wouldn't give Theo much leverage. "Let go. I have to meet, Axe." "You son of bitch. I hope you don't leave before I get back." The chances of escape were slim in the conditions Rose had to face. She wasn't going to waste it, deliberately hunting her nimble footsteps leaving Theo alone lost on the bed. Rose reached for the doorframe. The hinges clicked after she positioned herself facing the man who had been calling impatiently. "You're taking so long." The stifled protest from the owner of the deep, raspy voice uploaded a barely perceptible smile on Rose's lips. "Sorry, Axe. I h
"Open your eyes, Theo." The throbbing was still as loud as it had been the first time Theo had spoken. Rose's heart and head were fighting each other. Each fighting for the space that overlapped the boundaries she had created for herself. In between came a strange feeling, which Rose could not organize into a symphony. She was a jumbled mess of randomness. Should have reconsidered Xelle's sentence a moment ago, was it true that Rose was trying to stay with someone who made her get lost in her own feelings? .... No, she wasn't. Rose didn't want to be confused by all that reality. As far as possible, she separated the things that shouldn't be lodged in the deepest corner of her heart. Towards a kind of choice which is the most appropriate to win Rose's sanity. She didn't want to be conquered. "Wake up. Get up, Theo!" Rose squeezed the clay muscles in her husband's arm. Turning the curled up body to face the ceiling of the main room. "T
"What conclusion?" A look of unequal color narrowed sarcastically. Rose's face was lifted a little roughly until she looked up and stared at each other. "It's so bad that even saying his name scares Oracle. And you say he didn't mean it?" Xelle's whisper was like a spark of fire. Quite disturbing if Rose had to admit it. She brushed off the lingering link of fingers, though Xelle's actions were not hurtful. "Theo didn't mean to. I was the one who misplaced the Oracle in our midst," Rose argued, not realizing how the blind finally blinked. "You're defending him, Rose?" Rose swallowed harshly. The glint in her eyes flickered quickly. "I'm not. It's just that you don't understand. I told you, that Theo did that out of his control. He had a nightmare last night." Rose held back the lump in the back of her throat. "You know I love Oracle, Axe, he's my son too. But please don't make a mess here. I've seen my husband hurt enough times. Not anymore. P
"Oracle, are you sure you want to go straight home? Not wait for Om T to wake up first?" Oracle's rejection firmly dispelled the offer Rose had repeatedly made. Rose's breath rushed out, lips pressed together thinly. She contemplated everything that had not and would happen. In front of her, from a distance Rose had guessed what Xelle's reaction would be, if the blue bruise on Oracle's conspicuously elastic bandage—covered wrist caught the heterochromia's eye. As slow as a leaf combing Rose changed position. Towering high, she awaited the quick approach of the one who was now beside her. "Daddy." The thin curve of the lips responded to Oracle's greeting. A neat knit of eyebrows rose with Xelle's sharp eyes scrutinizing. He took a deep look at Rose's face, then turned back to the first focal point. His large body knelt down, light as a feather to reach for Oracle's small fingers—noticing carefully the cloth wrapped densely... breaking the suspi
"Travis." Rose pushed her way in, making the man behind the ledger jump. "Sorry, Travis. I was in a hurry." "What is it, Miss?" The light question came after Travis closed the thin sheet marked with a string. "Do you have any painkillers or anything to treat the bruises on Oracle's hands? Theo just had a nightmare and accidentally did this to him. I'm scared if anything happens." Travis's eyebrows shot up. "Mr.T just had a nightmare?" he asked. In stark contrast to Rose's haste. Travis was too calm to notice the extent of the bruise. "No need to worry, miss. You'd better see the master, I'll treat him." Travis smiled. She hesitated between refusing or agreeing. Rose glared at Travis and Oracle's faces in turn. She blinked. "Are you sure there's nothing to worry about?" "Yes, Miss. I can handle it. You should see the master. He may need you." Stunned, considering things from all angles. Rose finally sighe
"Uncle T, you hurt me. Let me go!" "Uncle T!" Rose tried to understand the situation in the dim room. Faint squeals of pain clashed in the air. Rose frowned, as the almost uninterrupted movement in its entirety pulled her closed brown eyes wide open. In front of Rose several black events were fully recorded, broadcasting the silhouette of a rough resistance along with a small body that was trying hard to pull himself out of the grip of the subconscious. Rose's heart hammered violently. All the chaos overlapped to form ornaments in her head. She took definite steps, quickly bringing half the darkness to light. And then some things that Rose couldn't digest properly, appeared in a heap, jolting her feelings. On that torture—like bed .... Oracle was completely unable to resist the strong grip that could be seen from the muscles digging into the surface of the large, clayey, man—sized arms of the person there. The