The clomping of feet drew Rose's consciousness. Her brown nether-eyes opened slowly, finding the skyline of the building in front of her lit up. The bias of the light made Rose blink a few times, feeling clueless in a place that was not so familiar. "I'm still alive?" Rose muttered to herself. She touched exactly where the wound on her body was lodged. Before ending up unconscious. Shouldn't she be in a room filled with figurines of women? All she saw was the innocence of the whitewashed walls, and Theo-there, walking the same straight line over and over again. His face was downcast as if he was thinking about something. Rose quickly turned away when he realized something, which made their eyes meet. The look in Theo's ashes implied guilt. Rose didn't care what it was, the pain in her heart was still the same-it was at the level of disappointment. "Are you awake, Sugar?" Rose's fingers gripped the thick blanket tightly when she heard Theo's steps approaching. The touch of that
"What do you have to gain by trapping me in marriage?" The man finally chuckled. "What's in it for me? I got you, that's all what I deserve." How proud Theo's face smiled viciously as he turned to look at Rose. "But it's okay, I won't stop you, if you want to end things. I mean, it's fine, if you want a divorce. Just be patient. After me and that damn woman are done, and I introduce you to my father. You can go ahead and file your lawsuit with the court, Lion will assist you." Is that how people with money are? For them, divorce is not a complicated matter. When something doesn't fit into the agreement, or there are other things that don't fit into the path that intersects with the harmony of marriage. They easily throw out the word 'separation', as if being one and being united, is something that has no honor value. Rose shot Theo a piercing look. "Divorced and your widow, is that it?" she asked, her anger never ending,
Strangers and not talking to each other. Ever since Rose asked Theo not to show his face in front of her. The man was never really seen. Never anywhere where Rose was. Until now, five days of their relationship was not okay. It was quiet on the dining table, with only Beatrace busy in the kitchen. Rose had offered to help the middle-aged woman, but she had received rejection after rejection. With the same excuse, of course. Rose's breathing was rough, not knowing how to properly enjoy the breakfast in front of her. Everything still felt strange, she didn't want to sink any further. Although her mind kept wondering where Magdalena was after the night's events. Everyone she met was silent when she directly expressed her curiosity, but that didn't rule out Rose, unaware of Theo's indifference regarding Magdalena's actions. Lion slipped up a little when Rose tried the man for the lies he had told. Rose doesn't try to make a big deal o
"The Witson family is not a harmonious one. Since the great mistress is no longer around. The only person who understands the master is his younger sister. But that didn't last long either, because he had to go back to feeling lost. All of us here don't really know what he is really like, Miss." For some reason this time Rose found bitterness in the smile Beatrace displayed. If Beatrace could not confirm anything about her statement. Rose felt unsure of what she had been thinking about Theo. Could she still be in the scope of deception? She wasn't. Rose's nerves dulled and blinked a few times. The air felt claustrophobic again. "Beatrace," she called, holding back the trembling tone that almost broke out. "Do you know who Dara is?" Rose hoped Beatrace would tell her the answer she wanted. Unfortunately the woman only smiled with a meaning that Rose couldn't now decipher. "You can ask the master dire
[Forgive me]. Charlotte sighed. That was Sean's last statement since the man stopped texting her. Gone. Charlotte didn't get any news, just as the longing she had was also forced to sink. She didn't want to be grandiose, just hoping Sean would fight harder to get her heart back. Unfortunately Charlotte felt Sean gave up before she managed to establish herself from a big dilemma. A man who doesn't want his son, does Charlotte deserve to forgive him so easily? No, she doesn't. Forget Sean for a while. Charlotte flopped down on the freezing cold bed. She looked up at the ceiling of the room with a sense of unease. Who would have thought that a man like Verasco would be as busy as he looked. Verasco was hardly ever at the mansion, where Charlotte was currently staying. She could liken the inside of the mansion to an uninhabited building. It was deserted. Except for the heavy surveillance outside. Enough to make Charlotte
"If I was jealous. I wouldn't have let you do it more than once." Theo's exhale hit the surface of Magdalena's face. Every time she remembered how deeply she knew Theo, Magdalena felt like she had been told a thousand lies. She simply didn't understand his way of thinking, or anything directly related to her ex-husband. "I'm sure you're jealous. Just like you deliberately showed me the kiss marks on that prostitute's body to make me hurt." Magdalena tried to convince herself. Theo was hers, always would be. "She's not a whore. She's my wife. You need to underline one thing, I like to make art on her body, not to make you jealous. But, I guess explaining all that to you is pointless. You're too ...." Theo stopped his sentence. The facial expression was deliberately thoughtful. "Too stupid-perhaps." He grinned sarcastically. Still with the Italian dialect, which sounded sexy from his lips.
Rose fell silent. Her brain and body seemed to be disconnected. She was still motionless, frozen before the man, who looked different from the last time they met. It was like being trapped in a sensory distortion. The air around Rose was filled with painful tension. She just wanted to burn the 15 roses, which were received from hand to hand for five consecutive days. However, her readiness had to be hindered when Theo walked in with wobbly steps. Not even looking at Rose, when he had the chance to look away. "Here's the lighter, Miss-" Just like Rose. Beatrace stopped when she realized Theo was there-standing with an unreadable ripple on his face. Having barely seen each other, the slight change was obvious. "Good afternoon, sir." Beatrace ventured a greeting. The nod she received was followed by Theo's departure with a decisive step. Beatrace also looked at where her master had gone. Then turned to Rose. "There is a mas
"I said get out!" "No way!" argued Rose. Approaching with explosive curiosity. Theo's appearance in her eyes had always been perfect. Different from the one Rose currently noticed. That stain... really invites curiosity. "Why are your clothes dirty?" Getting closer. Rose tried to touch the button of the shirt Theo was wearing. "None of your business. Go away!" The reality was that Rose failed when Theo chose to avoid. Every action the man made, pulling off the dirty shirt, did not escape Rose's sight. Half of Theo's shoulders and arms were covered in abstract tattoos. Rose couldn't quite grasp the meaning of the ink that blended with Theo's skin pigment. The tattoos she saw were already there, she didn't feel the need to meddle with them unnecessarily. Except, when the man approached the figurine on the bed. Theo seemed to be holding a small object, or Rose could call it a camer
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