CHAPTER 3 The Aftermath

As Laura expected he came here, that's why she never leaves Rose alone and went home in fact she was hiding behind the wall of the compound and was watching both of them.

Laura is Rose's best friend since childhood, though her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, were simple staff of Walton's family and working for Rose's father Joe Walton for a long.

Her father was Mr. Joe Walton's personal driver and her mother was Mr. Walton's children's caretaker since his wife Evan Walton has passed away.

Since childhood, Laura gets an excellent treatment and family atmosphere in the Walton family, not only Mr. Walton but everybody treats her nicely just like their family member.

Mr. Joe Walton was paying for her all-educational expense like his daughter, even as he enrolled her in the same school as Rose. She was very obligate to the Walton family so as Rose.

When Mr. Joe Walton was murdered, Laura's parents were also with him and they sacrificed their lives to save Walton's family. Both Rose and Laura have become orphans together, same day.

She is two years older than Rose and take care of her as an elder sister but after their parent's death Rose started bearing responsibility all alone and Laura being considerate can't let her do this alone, that's why she stopped her studies so she can help Rose and Rose can study well.

They both are closed since childhood. They knew each other's strength, weakness, flawless everything. Laura also knows Rose is very stubborn.

If someone wronged Rose, then she will never give him another chance to hurt her again. Therefore, Laura also disdains Alexander Jones from all heart.

If one day Rose will forgive him for their past relationship, but Laura will never forgive the person who hurt Rose.

Today when Alexander grabbed Rose forcefully and make out with her without her will Laura wanted to come out and slap him hard on the face but restrain herself because she doesn't want to meddle in Rose's personal affair.

But she didn't leave her sight and watched and hear the complete scene unfold between them.

After sometimes when Rose walked inside the building agony was reflecting on her face, Laura can't resist herself more and came in front of Alexander.

Alexander releases a sigh after listening to Laura he knows she is equally mad at him as Rose but he still didn't find his fault. According to him, he did nothing wrong, he was just doing his work.

"Laura, you are saying this, have you forgotten it's you who helped me in all manner in persuading Rose?"

"I forgot nothing and I have regret for doing that. I thought your love for her was genuine." Laura said.

"Do you think my love and concern for her is fake?" Alexander felt wronged, only he knows how much he loves her.

Laura took a deep breath before answering him however she knew she has to lie but she doesn't want Rose to get hurt like this again and again.

"Yes."

Laura's words stabbed Alexander's heart brutally, he was deeply hurt. He never thought Laura would say such a thing.

If Rose would say, he could understand because the amount of anger she is holding for him is unfathomable but Laura knew his feelings deeply, but Laura is a person who realizes their feelings first and encourages him to pursue her more boldly.

Laura saw him leaving from there with a crouched head and gloomy face, she got that it's difficult to drive him out of Rose's life but at least she has managed a few steps successfully and sauntered inside the building and then strides towards the third floor of their residential area.

On another side Alexander was getting anxious, "What these two little girls are hiding, Rose I am very concerned for you, please let me share your burden and help you get rid of it let me protect you to get not involved in any such mess which will devour you, if this case will transfer to the chief then I couldn't able to help you then."

Alexander talks to himself and moved from there and Rose also closes her bedroom window after seeing him walked out of the building, sat in his car, and drove off, and she releases a sigh.

When she heard Laura's footsteps, she opens her room's door and gets her sight of  Laura who was moving towards her room, which was the last room of the corridor, and said little loudly and sternly.

"No need to tell a lie in order to safeguard me."

Rose shut her room's door after saying this and stepped towards the bathroom to get a shower.

Laura shook her head getting his meaning, but she doesn't want to talk to her on this topic which can upset her, as for Laura she can do anything to protect Rose so she felt nothing wrong by telling a lie.

Sitting in the bathtub with warm water, Rose's mind engulfs with the thoughts of Alexander Jones who suddenly came into her peaceful life and messed it up completely just because of his baseless assumptions. It's not over here yet he is even sure from his side that he is only correct and they all are wrong.

Rose squinted her eyes tight, clench her fist and bring herself back from Alexander Jones's thoughts, after taking a shower and changed into her silk red nightdress she made herself a large drink and started sipping red wine royally sitting on the couch and net surfing on her mobile.

The latest news across through her sight of eyes through the mobile screen and immediately dragged her interest.

'Duluth city is an uproar again, another murder near sunset point by mysterious killer Red Rose.'

Rose doesn't want to go for these kinds of news but was just sparing her gaze to headlines.

This is the fifth murder by Red Rose whole special department of Duluth city in an uproar not able to get even a single clue about Red Rose, higher officials are threatening many junior officers because for six months they couldn't able to get even a single proof of preparator.

The atmosphere of the Duluth city is on high alert, netizens are in terror their life is at stake. Everybody wants to know who is Red Rose why is he/she slaughtering innocent people like this?'

Rose curled her lips in a mocking smirk and once again look towards her mobile screen and read such irritating headlines in disdain who are making those people innocent who lived their lives in a luxurious way after violating all kinds of law.

She doesn't want to praise Red Rose because this preparator is the reason for her heartbreak, but whoever this person is, he or she is doing a kind of social work.

The breaking news fed up Rose. After reviewing these kinds of news which only wants to flatter the public, she threw her mobile on the bed, which was at some distance.

After completing one drink, she stood up and stepped towards the bed after putting her glass on the tea table.

She wanted to drink more but restrain herself she is not an alcoholic not a daily drinker but today her mood was in chaos so she had one drink to calm herself down, however, after reading the news headlines her attitude was back on the drawing board.

Rose laid down on the bed and try her best to get a peaceful sleep but couldn't get rid of the memory which was running in her mind when she wouldn't meet Alexander Jones and those are even better days.

Rose was a cold heart person since the beginning when she started taking care of her and Laura's living expenses by herself with no support after the demise of their parents, but after breaking up with Alexander she has turned even colder and indifferent.

Rose knew that she doesn't have anybody, not even in Duluth city in fact in the entire world whom she can trust and feel secure for her life, same as Laura.

Though Laura is 2 years older than Rose when the perpetrator murdered Laura's parents with Joe Walton, Rose thought it's her responsibility to give Laura a stable life because the enemy of the Walton family only killed Laura's parents also and she became an orphan at such tender age just because of Walton Family.

Rose thought a little and came up with a solution. After bankruptcy, her father left only the three-story building, some land neighboring this building, and a few of her mother's jewelry which was not in the bank that's why they got saved from being sealed.

At 15 yrs age when she turned into an orphan, she started a bakery all by herself to earn a respectful living expense because she learned to bake at 12 yrs through private classes because of her passion for baking.

Since that day Rose closed all the door off harmony and happiness on herself, she engulfs in work more and more and started studying online after hard work of a few years she shifted her bakery on the second floor of the building and on the first floor of the building she started Red Rose café with all her savings.

Her life was smooth. In the morning she used to go to the market to buy fresh groceries which required for the bakery and café then after getting ready with stock she opens her bakery's front door for the customer in the morning at 10:00 am.

From 10:00 am to 5:00 pm she runs her bakery because usually her stock would get sold till 5:00 pm and it was her time to start her café.

Her income has become double after owning a café she saved lots of money after working hard for 10 years.

Six months ago, it was her twenty-fifth birthday, and she was going to take the first step towards her long-awaiting motive.