Chapter 5
The three people surrounded Rosella, eyeing her with a mix of curiosity and unmistakable shock. They all knew Rosella, but they hadn’t seen her for three years.
Back when she was cast out, the Rowe family had given her father money to take care of her.
They had assumed Rosella had been living decently these past few years, never imagining she’d turn out like this.
“Isn’t this Ms. Rowe?” The woman’s voice was sharp, laced with mockery. “Oh wait, silly me. This one’s just a fake.”
A round of laughter erupted before another picked up the thread.
“What, you’re here to see Elliot? You finally realized Millard is way out of your league, so now you’re aiming lower?”
“Jillian, what are you talking about? Look at her. Even Elliot would be out of her league.”
“Now that you bring it up, she’s shameless to the core. Back then, when Millard didn’t want her, she had Angeline kidnapped and killed…” Jillian stared at Rosella as if she wanted to rip Rosella apart. “How do you even have the nerve to still be alive?”
Rosella’s lips quivered, fear flickering through her dim eyes. Millard had once asked her the same question back then, with hands around her neck.
She’d cried, saying it wasn’t her and that she was a victim too.
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But Millard didn’t believe her.
No one did.
In court, the kidnappers pointed fingers at her. Her parents doubted her. The lawyers brought out irrefutable evidence. She couldn’t argue her way out, not then, not now.
“What, cat got your tongue?”
“Guilty, aren’t you?”
The wind blew the rain inward, soaking half her clothes. Standing there in the cold, she accepted the accusations quietly. “It was my fault. I’m sorry…”
Jillian and her friends were surprised that this once proud girl should speak to them in such a lowly tone.
After a moment of silence, Jillian scoffed, “Oh, now you admit it. Why didn’t you say that in court?”
Rosella didn’t argue. They shoved her, and she stumbled out into the
rain.
With no retaliation from her, the fun was over. Millard stubbed out his cigarette and was about to return to his seat when the noise downstairs grew louder. Maybe it was her meekness that provoked them, and Jillian slapped Rosella hard across the face.
Dewey straightened up at once, expecting Rosella to fight back. But she only clutched her cheek in silence. Then Jillian shoved her down the steps. The security guard at the side finally reacted and rushed
over.
Luckily, she wasn’t seriously injured. A slap and a fall were minor compared to a life lost.
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Rosella was soaked, curled in the backseat of a car. Seated beside her was Millard, calm, aloof, the very picture of composure. She, on the other hand, looked like a miserable stray.
They didn’t seem like people who should even share the same space.
There were towels in the car, but Millard didn’t offer Rosella one. If she’d asked, maybe he would’ve taken pity.
Like before, when she’d tugged his sleeve and coaxed sweetly, “Millard, help me, just this once…”
But he didn’t know enough unanswered pleas could make a person give up for good.
Now, given another chance to seek sympathy, Rosella remained silent. Too many rejections had broken her heart.
“Dewey went to find Elliot. I’ll take you back,” Millard said, distancing himself. Though he and Rosella sat in the same row, it felt like miles apart.
Rosella replied, her voice was even more distant than his, “Actually… I can go back myself.”
So now he was the one being presumptuous?
A wry smile curved Millard’s lips. “Dewey asked me to.”
In other words, it was not his idea.
“I know.”
Millard didn’t look at her, but he could feel her lifting her face slightly to look at him. Each word she spoke seemed to take all her strength. “I know. You don’t want to see me again. I was immature before. I made a lot of mistakes and caused you trouble. I won’t repeat those mistakes.”
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“What kind of mistakes?” Millard finally turned his face toward her.
Rosella lowered her head again. “Loving you.”
