Chapter 19
Rosemary didn’t seem the least bit fazed by my cold demeanor. Instead, she regarded me with a composed expression. Laurel, aren’t you going to invite me in?”
I didn’t budge. “I don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for things that give me a headache.”
She raised her eyes slowly, unbothered. “Laurel, I think some things are better discussed inside. After all, you wouldn’t want the neighbors eavesdropping, would you? Especially with your mom still in the hospital.”
A dark look passed over my face, and I shot her a sharp glance. I hadn’t expected her to bring my mom into this as a threat.
But she had a point. Bad news spread like wildfire.
If I lost my temper and hit her right here, the whole neighborhood would be talking.
I let out a slow breath and smiled thinly. “Fine. Ten minutes.”
Then, I stepped aside to let her in.
Inside, Rosemary fixed her eyes on me. “Laurel, do you really want to break up with Austin?”
I ignored her question and studied her instead. “Did Austin send you?”
A beat passed before I let out a cold laugh. “Or was this your idea? After all, if our breakup was because of you, the Herreras wouldn’t take it lightly. No woman would tolerate the kind of relationship you two have.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Laurel, it’s not what you think between me and Austin.”
“Rosemary, there’s no one else here-drop the act.” I leaned against the counter, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Just as Alex had said, the Herrera family would never agree to call off the engagement.
Rosemary was their adopted daughter, and Kayden was a man obsessed with reputation. He would never allow his son to be involved with her.
Even if Rosemary left the Herrera family, Amanda would never accept her as a daughter-in-law.
An adopted daughter and a daughter-in-law were two entirely different things.
Besides, I could tell Amanda was wary of Rosemary’s past. Whatever had happened to her as a child, it had left a mark.
Austin never told me much about it, but I always had my doubts about her so-called illness.
If she were really sick, her condition would act up whenever she schemed against me.
It was probably just an excuse.
Rosemary flashed a slow, mocking smile. “You sure you don’t need me to remind you? Your mom’s still in the hospital, hoping you’ll marry Austin. How do you think she’d feel if she found out you’re backing out?”
I locked eyes with her, steady as ever. “My life’s none of your business. If that’s all you came here to say, you can leave now.” I turned and pulled the door open.
She let out a dry laugh. “Weren’t you the one who said you give me ten minutes?”
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Chapter 19
Her expression shifted-no more fake sweetness, just something sharp and cold. “If you really don’t want to marry Austin, why the hell did you follow Alex?
“Were you planning to rat me out? Trying to get me kicked out of the Herrera family?”
She stepped closer, her confidence creeping me out. “Let me save you the trouble, Laurel. The Herreras will never throw me
out.”
I hesitated for a fraction of a second. Where did she get this confidence from?
Then, I thought back to how she looked at Alex earlier-there had been fear, yes, but not enough. What struck me was how she still dared to use him. She was afraid, but not terrified.
It dawned on me.
Even with Alex’s warning, Rosemary only looked briefly startled-not truly afraid, which meant she had leverage over the Herreras.
I let out a sharp breath. “You’ve got two minutes. After that, get the hell out.”
Frankly, I regretted letting her in at all.
If I hadn’t, she probably would’ve just stood outside ringing the doorbell until I snapped.
And knowing her, she’d probably get away with murder and never face a single consequence.
I pulled out my phone and idly searched: [If you kill a lunatic in self-defense, would you go to jail?]
The results left me stunned. For a brief second, I considered how profitable it must be to be a certified lunatic.
Rosemary’s voice yanked me back to reality. “Do you know why Austin never touched you?”
A chill ran down my spine. Austin had actually told her something that personal.
So much for boundaries, they really were closer than siblings..
Seeing my uncertainty, Rosemary’s lips curled. A gleam of malice flickered in her eyes as she let out a low, eerie laugh. For a moment, she really did look insane.
“You remember your first birthday after moving to Newton City? Austin was with you that night. You got drunk.” She tilted her head. “But did you really think the man who touched you was him?”
Rosemary’s gaze cut through me, sharp and mocking, like a blade. My heart seized, as though someone had tightened their grip around it, and a cold chill spread from my feet all the way up to my chest.
Rosemary leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. “Austin was with me that night-until early morning.
“He never told you because he was afraid of what you’d do if you found out. That’s why, after all these years, he’s never touched you.”
She sighed dramatically, shaking her head. “Though, to be fair, part of it was his fault too. He left in such a hurry when I fainted that he didn’t even lock your hotel room door.”
Something in me twisted. It felt like a thousand insects were gnawing at my insides, but I forced myself to stay calm.
“You think I’d believe a word you say?” I asked, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.
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Rosemary smirked, leaning in closer. “Laurel, believe whatever you want. But deep down, you know the truth. And tell me, if this little… mess gets out, do you honestly think any guy would want you after that?”
She gave a sly grin. “After six years with Austin, how many people honestly think you two never hooked up?”
Her voice dropped to a whisper, like she was letting me in on a dirty secret. “Even my mom asked me why, after all this time, you never got pregnant. Wondered if you had trouble conceiving.”
She paused, letting the words hang in the air. “I didn’t have the heart to tell her the real reason. If she knew, you’d never step foot near the Herrera family again.”
I stood there, frozen for a moment, the realization settling over me.
So this was why Austin had avoided me all these years-why he never wanted to be intimate, never talked about marriage, and even went behind my back to flirt with other women.
In his eyes, I was no longer pure.
But none of this was my fault.
I never imagined the man that night wasn’t Austin.
And all this time, he kept making excuses to avoid me, saying he was worried about the Herrera family’s reputation if I got pregnant out of wedlock.
I’d been so damn naive, believing him.
But the truth? We weren’t really living together. We just slept in separate rooms, pretending to be a couple.
“Don’t forget the auction tomorrow. Be on time, I’ll be waiting,” Rosemary said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
The door clicked shut behind her. I just stood there for a moment, still in shock. Then, finally, I let out a deep breath, a relieved smile tugging at my lips.
