vi

Anxiousness was an understatement compared to what Rosalie felt as she stood in front of the unfamiliar house. Just like Melody had said, she took Rosalie to her grandparent’s house the same people that disowned her mother and caused her to flee from her home, she needed an explanation.

She remembered how her mother used to talk about her parents, and although she seemed sad, you still could’ve seen how much she loved them. So this was something that Rosalie knew she had to do, have a connection with her grandparents, for her mother’s sake.

Coming here was a task after the news was broken to Benjamin. He was furious and forbid his granddaughter from going, but Rosalie had already put her foot down and declared that she was going, leading Benjamin to wheel away and Melody running after him.

Genesis had heard everything and approached Rosalie with a frown on his face, “Those people were terrible to your parents, why would you try and reconnect with them?” He asked, “You know nothing about my family,” she spat in frustration and anger, “Actually, I do, more than you do, and you’re making a mistake,” he said. His response earned an eye roll.

“Why don’t you mind your business and let me be?” She whispered harshly, clenching Genesis’s jaw before he nodded, “Fine, but don’t be mad when I told you so,” he said before walking away.

After the encounter, Rosalie thought that Giovanni would’ve been the only asshole among them, but she guessed they were both assholes.

Taking a deep breath in, Rosalie raised her hand before knocking on the door as the sound echoed throughout the house. Soon, heavy footsteps were heard coming closer to the door until they stopped, “Who is it?′ A deep voice boomed sending shivers down her spine, “My name is Rosalie, and I’m your granddaughter,” she replied in a shaky tone, but was met with silence.

“I don’t have a granddaughter, you have the wrong house,” the man said his voice sounding distant, “I’m afraid I do have the right house, this is where Louis and Marilyn live, right?” She asked, “My name is Rosalie Gracia, my parents are Javon and Aaliyah Gracia,” she clarified, but was met with more silence before the sound of locks unlocking was heard.

The door slowly opened revealing the darkness as she squinted her eyes to see inside. All of a sudden, an eye appeared peeking from behind the door before a gasp startled Rosalie.

“Lily Bear?” The man called out but Rosalie shook her head, “No, I’m not Aaliyah, I’m Rosalie, her daughter,” she said as the man teared up, “Daughter?” He asked, “Yes, and I came to meet you and grandma,” she said, wrinkled fingers appearing on the edge of the door as every word slipped from her mouth.

“Grandma?” He questioned in doubt earning a sigh of defeat, “Please, I just want to know why?” She begged as the man looked at her before opening the door, “Then come in,” he said disappearing behind the door and giving her a full invitation. Rosalie turned to look back at Melody, who looked concerned. But with enough strength and confidence, she smiled reassuringly resulting in Rosalie smiling before she turned back to the house. “It’s alright, dear, there’s no harm intended,” Louis said from behind the door.

Rosalie took a deep breath before slowly entering, “It’s quite dark in here,” she said as the open source provided little light before Louis closed it engulfing them into darkness, “Yes, my wife and I enjoy the darkness, it’s quite peaceful, but I guess we could use some light today,” he said before switching on the lights.

The room was stunning, the walls were white with black ceilings, a golden chandelier, white tiled floors, and classic furniture. It was modern and casual, ” you have a beautiful home,” Rosalie said before turning to face her supposed grandfather.

Shock shadowed Rosalie’s face as she took a step back before clearing her throat, “I’m sorry,” she mumbled, avoiding his gaze as he smiled humorlessly, “It’s quite all right, my dear, my appearance always seemed to catch people off guard,” he said while running his fingers along his scarred skin that covered one side of his face.

Humming lowly, Rosalie nodded before she continued to look around until a picture frame caught her attention.

“Is that my mom?” She asked while walking to the picture frame that stood on the small table, “Ah, yes, that’s when we first got the place, she was ecstatic to finally have a place to call home after we moved around so much,” he said as Rosalie studied the picture, “She seemed so happy,” she mumbled while her grandfather analyzed her, “You look so much like my Lily bear,” he said causing Rosalie to look towards him.

“I want to know what happened between you and my mother?” She asks as Louis avoided her gaze before nodding, “Maybe we should go and see what Marilyn is doing,” he mumbles before walking away.

Rosalie placed down the picture frame before turning to look where he had walked off to as a shaky breath left her lips. Slowly walking towards the entrance of the dark room, Rosalie looked around trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness, “H-Hello?” She nervously called out before the lights flickered on. Frowning as she blinked slowly, Rosalie was greeted by the smiling faces of Louis and Marilyn, “Y-You moved so fast,” Rosalie nervously chuckled widening Louis’s smile and causing Marilyn’s to fade in shock upon seeing her.

“Aaliyah, i-is that you?” She asked, slowly standing up with tears in her eyes, but Rosalie shook her head, “I’m not Aaliyah, I’m her daughter, Rosalie, your granddaughter,” she replied, replacing the emotional mask with a dark sinister expression, “Oh, I didn’t think I’d be one of those, I am quite young,” she said with a smug look waiting for Rosalie to agree with her assumptions.

“You are beautiful,” Rosalie said as Marilyn raised an eyebrow before walking towards her, “I can already see so much of your mother in you,” she said smirking at the smile that appeared on Rosalie’s face before running a single-manicured finger along her, “She was always a lousy liar, I see where you got that from,” she said, Rosalie’s smile dropping as she stared blankly at the woman in front of her.

“You’re here for a reason, what did we do to be blessed with your presence?” She asked as Rosalie stared at her, “My parents are dead, I came for an explanation, I want to know what happened between you and my mother?” She pleaded as her words caused Louis to tense up while Marilyn sighed heavily, “Fine, follow me,” she said before walking away leaving the living room and going up the stairs.

Rosalie watched as Marilyn left before looking back at Louis, who sat perfectly still staring at the newspaper on the table in front of him. Rosalie frowned as she looked at him before looking closely at the newspaper. Her blood suddenly went cold as she looked at the old newspaper and its headlines on the front.

SUSPICIOUS CRASH: CASSANDRA GRACIA DEAD AT THE SCENE

“You should go, my wife hates to wait,” he mumbled, startling Rosalie as she nodded before rushing upstairs and looking back to find Louis on his feet staring at her.

Forcefully swallowing, Rosalie reached on top of the stairs and looked around before an open door caught her attention. Walking towards it, she peeked inside to see Marilyn sitting on a bed with a picture frame in her hand.

Pushing the door, she entered the room as Marilyn continued to stare down at the picture, “My daughter was the most beautiful girl in our community, her smile was luminous and her personality was gentle and playful,” Marilyn said as Rosalie listened carefully to her words, “She was naturally happy, helpful, attentive, forgiving, skillful, and loving. Every woman wanted to be her because she gathered wanted attention from people that wanted to worship her, but her head was turned in a different direction. Foolish,” she mumbled as Rosalie scoffed in disbelief.

“You mean she fell in love with my father?" She asked as Marilyn looked at her before placing down the frame, "Love, my daughter didn't know what love was, your father was manipulating her and twisted her mind into believing that she was in love," she said while Rosalie shook her head.

"Your delusional, forcing my mother into marriage with someone that she didn't love," she said as Marilyn sighed heavily, "Again with the love, I was doing what was best for my daughter, that man could've done more for her than your father, show her what true love was, but she chose differently, she chose to abandon her family," she argued as Rosalie frowned with tears welled up in her eyes.

"Abandon? You disowned her for being with someone she loved, what kind of mother are you?" She asked causing Marilyn to stand up and stalk toward her, "Oh, you're a child, what do you know about motherhood?" She asked, "And I bet you felt over the moon while watching your only child being chased out of her hometown," she accused as Marilyn stopped and looked at her, analyzing and slowly putting the pieces together before she laughed.

Oh, this is rich, just perfect, you're perfect," she suddenly said in excitement, "What are you talking about?" Rosalie asked, "Oh, you clueless little girl, Marcus will love to have you," she said with a grin on her face causing Rosalie to grow pale, "W-What are you talking- wait where are you going?" She asked as Marilyn walked towards the door before her arm was grabbed by Rosalie.

"Ah!" Rosalie shrieked as she hit the floor holding her cheek, "Your mother knew too much, she was smart, but you know nothing and it's just perfect, perfect!" She cheered humorlessly before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

"No, no, no! Open the door!" Rosalie pounded on the door screaming before realizing that Genesis was right, this was a big mistake.

"This was a mistake," Melody thought as she sat in the car looking at the house that Rosalie had disappeared in. There was this unsettling feeling in her stomach that she didn't like while reaching for her phone to call Benjamin.

All of sudden, her car shook causing her soul to almost leave her body as she looked around in fright. Her heart pounded against her chest as she continued looking around before looking back down at her phone that her shaking handheld.

"Hey, Mel?" Genesis's voice called out from beside her window causing her to scream dropping her phone in the process, "Oh my god, Genesis, what are you doing here?" She asked as Genesis opened her door, "I don't trust you guys here on your own," he said as Melody sighed in relief, "Oh, thank god," she mumbled before Genesis looked around.

"Where's Rosalie?" He asked as Melody got out of the car, "She's still in there," she replied, Genesis, clenching his jaw before storming towards the house, "Wait, Genesis, what are you doing?" She asked, following behind him, "She's been in there for too long," he said, walking onto their porch before pounding on the door.

"Who's in front of my door?" Louis's heavy voice boomed from behind as Genesis chuckled darkly, "Open the fucking door, Louis, I know she's in here," he said, not receiving a response from Louis, angering Genesis more.

"You have no business being here, leave," Louis said, a growl ripping from Genesis's side of the door before the door shook, "How about I kick this fucking door down instead?" He asked in a deadly tone as all his patience stood behind him.

Soon the door opened revealing Louis, who towered over both Genesis and Melody as they stared up at him in both anger and fear, "You're asking for a death wish, pup," Louis said as Genesis's eyes darkened, "Oh, yeah, try something and watch me burn your house down," Genesis said before looking passed his arm to see Marilyn in the back with a smirk on her face.

"Where is she, Rosalie!" He questioned, yelling out her name before Louis grabbed onto his neck lifting him off the floor as Melody gasped backing away in fear, "Now what's going to stop me from killing you now?"

Genesis's voice echoed throughout the house catching Rosalie's attention as she quickly stood up from going through her mother's closet that hid away her personal belongings like the journal that was currently in Rosalie's hand as she rushed towards the door while hiding the book under her jacket tucked in her jeans behind.

"Genesis?! I'm up here!" she pounded on the door as her fear and desperation turned into anger. Her pounding grew louder and more drastic as the sound echoed through the house catching the attention of those who were there as they stood in shock.

Her voice grew louder, raging, darkening causing Louis's grip on Genesis to loosen as he become distracted allowing Genesis to strike, which he immediately did. Sparing Louis to the floor, Marilyn shrieked in shock, staring at her husband that was now knocked unconscious.

Growling at the woman as she backed up in fear, Genesis turned to Melody, who watched with widened eyes before nodding, "Go and get her, I'll keep them down here," he said as Melody nodded before entering the house hesitantly, while looking at Marilyn, who glared at her.

As she looked at Marilyn, she suddenly remembered all the horrible things that these people had done to her family causing her fear to turn into anger as she stormed into the house. As she got closer to the stairs, where Marilyn was standing, she suddenly, backhand slapped her, sending her to the floor.

"That's for my best friend," Melody said before running up the stairs, while calling out to Rosalie, "Where are you, Rosalie?!" She called out, "I'm in here, Mel," Rosalie's muffled voice called back out as Melody ran to the closed down before opening it.

Rosalie sighed in relief as she snuggled into Melody's arms, "I need to get out of here," she mumbled as Melody nodded before pulling away to see the bruise forming on Rosalie's cheek, "Oh, my god, did she hit you?" She asked as Rosalie nodded, "Yeah, but I'm fine, I just really wanna get out of here," she said as Melody touch her cheek before sighing, "Come on, let's go, Genesis is waiting for us downstairs," she said as they both went back down stair.

Rosalie watched Marilyn in disgust as she and Melody came down the stairs. She was shocked to see her on the floor with a busted lip, but after seeing Melody glare at her, she understood and wished she was there to have seen it.

"Rosalie?"Genesis called as she looked toward him before catching a glimpse of Louis's unconscious body, "What did you do, is he okay?" She asked as they got closer, "He's fine, just knocked out, are you okay?" Genesis asked as he held her arms, "I'm fine, just-

"Who did this, who hit you?" He suddenly asked upon seeing the mark as Rosalie sighed, "I'm fine, can we just leave?" She asked as Genesis's eyes softened, "Go with Mel and wait for me in the car, I'll be out soon," he said as she frowned, "But-

"No buts, Rosie, go, please," he begged as she sighed before leaving with Melody, but not without glancing back at Marilyn, who stared blankly at her until Genesis stood in front of her, blocking her view.

Once Rosalie and Melody were gone, Marilyn began to laugh, "Tell Benjamin that I send my applause, she's completely clueless of the fact that she's an animal, I thought it would have skipped generations by the time Aaliyah had children, but I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," she said while standing up.

"If you know what's best for you," Genesis growled as he stormed towards her before grabbing her neck, "You'll stay away from her," he said as Marilyn's widened eyes stared back into his, "I don't know how Louis managed to fall in love with a weak human like you, look at you, one snap and you're dead," he said in a dark tone as Marilyn grabbed his wrist before he let her go and left.

Upon seeing Genesis walking out of the house, Rosalie sighed in relief as she scoots over to give him space as he opened the back door before getting in, "Are you okay?" She asked as Genesis closed the door, "I'm fine, but let's get you home, it's been a long day," he said as Melody started the car and left.

"You were right," Rosalie said as Genesis looked at her, "Huh?" He asked as she sighed, "You were right, this was a mistake," she said, "I was, but the most important thing is that you're safe and that they wouldn't be bothering you again," he said as tears welled up in her eyes, "She was horrible," she said while shaking her head, "The things that she was telling me about my mom and dad were horrific, and that was my mom's mother, what kind of my mother does and think like that about her child," she bursts into tears as Genesis pulled her into his arms.

"She wasn't a mother at all, she was jealous and deceiving toward the one person that needed her to love the most and in the end, it was her downfall, and Louis wasn't man enough to put his foot down and stop her, he just let her control him, and in the end, that was his downfall," he said as Rosalie sniffled, "Do you think my mom would've forgiven them?" She asked as Melody smiled sadly.

"She would because she had a good heart," she said as Rosalie sighed causing Genesis to lift her chin to examine her face before frowning at the bruise, "I'm fine," she whispered as he hummed lowly before kissing it, "I know, but I feel anxious for when Gio and Benjamin see it," he said as she frowns.

"Giovanni?" She asked.

"Mhm?" He hummed while looking at her as she zoned off.

"He's back."