Chapter 6
2261 Words
The gathering was supposed to last three hours.
That was what Rosalina had been told.
Three hours.
A pleasant afternoon with the Jonas family.
A little food.
A little conversation.
Perhaps some games in the garden.
Then she would return home.
Simple.
Normal.
At least, that was what Rosalina thought.
Her family had a very different idea.
From the moment they arrived, they watched her.
Not obviously.
They were far too experienced for that.
Her father spoke with Mr. Jonas about business.
Her mother conversed with Mrs. Jonas.
Her siblings occasionally joined different conversations.
Adrian remained near her.
Everything looked perfectly civilized.
But underneath their smiles was a growing discomfort.
Because Rosalina was happy.
Too happy.
She laughed at something the Jonas son said.
Her sister watched from across the room.
Her smile remained perfectly polite.
But her fingers slowly tightened around her glass.
She doesn’t laugh like that with me.
Her brother had the same thought.
Then another.
She used to.
The realization hurt.
They remembered another time.
A younger Rosalina following them around.
Asking to join them.
Trying to make them laugh.
Trying to spend time with them.
And they remembered how often they had pushed her away.
Now someone else was receiving the affection they had once rejected.
Someone else was becoming the person Rosalina naturally moved toward.
The jealousy was almost unbearable.
But none of them wanted Rosalina to see it.
⸻
“Rosalina.”
She turned.
Her older brother smiled.
“Come here for a moment.”
She walked toward him.
“What?”
“I wanted to show you something.”
He led her toward the other side of the room.
Rosalina followed.
Her brother pulled out his phone.
“I found a picture from when we were younger.”
She looked at the screen.
It was an old family photograph.
Rosalina was standing between him and her sister.
She was smiling.
Her brother stared at the picture.
“You were so small.”
Rosalina laughed.
“I was twelve.”
“That’s small.”
“No, it isn’t.”
He smiled.
“I remember this day.”
Rosalina looked at him.
“You do?”
“Of course.”
He paused.
“You kept asking us to take pictures with you.”
Her smile faded slightly.
“I did?”
“All day.”
“And did you?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Rosalina looked at the photograph.
Then she remembered.
They had refused.
They had been too busy.
She had eventually taken the picture anyway.
Alone.
Her brother’s expression became pained.
“I should have.”
Rosalina looked at him.
“It’s okay.”
“No.”
His answer was immediate.
“It’s not.”
He looked at her.
“You always say that.”
She smiled faintly.
“Because it is.”
Her brother stared at her.
That was the problem.
Rosalina forgave too easily.
She always had.
And now that forgiveness frightened him.
Because he didn’t know how long it would last.
⸻
Across the room, Adrian watched them.
His wife noticed.
“You’re staring.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Adrian looked away.
His wife sighed.
“You don’t have to worry.”
“I know.”
But he didn’t.
Because every time Rosalina smiled at someone else, he felt something tighten inside his chest.
He had never experienced this before.
Not even in the previous life.
Back then, he had taken her devotion for granted.
He had assumed she would always be there.
He had assumed her love was permanent.
He had been wrong.
Now…
He wanted her close enough that he could see her every day.
Hear her voice.
Know that she was safe.
Know that she wasn’t hurting.
Know that she wasn’t secretly planning to leave.
The thought frightened him.
Because there was another thought beneath it.
A darker one.
What if I simply kept her home?
The thought appeared so naturally that Adrian froze.
He imagined it.
Rosalina staying in the mansion.
No outside invitations.
No strangers.
No competitors.
No Jonas family.
No possibility of losing her.
She would be safe.
He could give her everything.
A private garden.
A library.
Anything she wanted.
She would never need to leave.
His stomach twisted.
What am I thinking?
He immediately rejected the thought.
That wasn’t protection.
That was imprisonment.
He knew the difference.
He had to.
But the fact that the thought had appeared at all terrified him.
⸻
“Adrian?”
He looked up.
Rosalina stood in front of him.
“Are you okay?”
He smiled.
“Yes.”
“You’ve been quiet.”
“I was thinking.”
“About what?”
He hesitated.
“You.”
Rosalina blinked.
“Me?”
He nodded.
“Yes.”
She laughed nervously.
“Why?”
“Because…”
He stopped.
Because he had been imagining locking her away from everyone.
Because the idea had felt comforting for half a second.
Because he was beginning to understand that his love had become something frightening.
He couldn’t tell her that.
So he smiled.
“Because you look happy.”
Rosalina’s expression softened.
“I am.”
“Good.”
He meant it.
He really did.
And somehow that made everything more complicated.
⸻
The afternoon continued.
The Jonas family took Rosalina outside.
They walked through the gardens.
Rosalina admired the flowers.
Mrs. Jonas showed her a new greenhouse.
The Jonas daughter linked arms with her.
Their son kept making jokes.
Rosalina laughed.
Her family followed several steps behind.
Her brother watched his sister walking beside Rosalina.
Then he looked at the Jonas daughter.
Something bitter settled in his stomach.
She’s replacing us.
The thought was irrational.
He knew that.
But emotions didn’t care about reason.
His sister felt the same.
She watched Rosalina laugh at something the Jonas daughter whispered.
Her chest tightened.
She’s happier with them.
Then came the thought neither sibling wanted to admit.
What if she loves them more than she loves us?
Their mother noticed their expressions.
She gently touched her daughter’s arm.
“Don’t.”
Her daughter looked at her.
“I’m not doing anything.”
“I know.”
“But you’re thinking it.”
Her daughter looked away.
She didn’t deny it.
Their mother sighed.
“We’re better than this.”
Her daughter whispered,
“Are we?”
The question hurt.
Because she didn’t know anymore.
⸻
Rosalina eventually noticed her siblings were unusually quiet.
She slowed down.
“Are you two okay?”
They both smiled.
“Of course.”
“You’ve barely spoken.”
Her brother shrugged.
“We’re just tired.”
Rosalina studied them.
“You can tell me if something’s wrong.”
Her sister looked at her.
For one terrible second, she almost said it.
I don’t want you to leave me.
Instead, she smiled.
“Nothing’s wrong.”
Rosalina accepted the answer.
She always had.
That made her sister feel even worse.
⸻
Later, Rosalina returned inside.
She sat on the couch beside the Jonas family.
Her family joined her.
Suddenly, the space around her became crowded.
Rosalina looked around.
“Why is everyone sitting so close?”
Nobody answered.
Her brother moved slightly closer.
Her sister sat on her other side.
Her mother sat behind her.
Her father took the chair opposite her.
Adrian stood nearby.
Rosalina laughed.
“You’re all acting strange.”
Her brother smiled.
“We missed you.”
“You saw me this morning.”
“That’s a long time.”
“It was five hours.”
“Exactly.”
She rolled her eyes.
The Jonas family laughed.
But her family didn’t.
They were too busy realizing something.
They had surrounded her.
Not consciously.
At first.
But they had.
Every exit from the conversation had someone from the family nearby.
Nobody was touching her.
Nobody was forcing her to stay.
Yet the message was obvious.
Stay with us.
Rosalina didn’t recognize it.
She simply thought they were being unusually affectionate.
⸻
Eventually, the Jonas family announced they were preparing to leave.
Rosalina stood.
“Already?”
Mrs. Jonas smiled.
“I’m afraid so.”
Rosalina looked disappointed.
“We’ll see you again soon.”
“I know.”
She hugged Mrs. Jonas.
Her family watched.
Then Rosalina hugged the Jonas daughter.
Her brother’s jaw tightened.
The Jonas son offered Rosalina a hand.
“Come visit us again.”
“I will.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“I’ll bring her.”
The young man smiled.
“She’s capable of coming herself.”
Adrian’s smile remained.
“I know.”
A beat of silence.
Then Rosalina stepped between them.
“Both of you, stop.”
They immediately looked at her.
Rosalina sighed.
“You’re acting like children.”
The Jonas son laughed.
Adrian smiled.
But inside…
Adrian was thinking something completely different.
Don’t take her.
The thought was so strong that he had to look away.
⸻
The Jonas family finally left.
Rosalina waved until their car disappeared down the road.
She smiled.
Then she turned around.
Her family was standing behind her.
All of them.
Watching.
Rosalina’s smile faded.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Her mother smiled.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.”
Rosalina laughed awkwardly.
“You’re just…”
She searched for the word.
“Intense.”
Her father chuckled.
“Perhaps we missed you.”
“You were all with me the entire day.”
“We still missed you.”
Rosalina shook her head.
“You people are impossible.”
She started walking toward the mansion.
Her family followed.
Adrian remained behind for a moment.
He looked at the gates.
Then at Rosalina.
The desire returned.
Lock the gates.
His expression hardened.
Keep her here.
He immediately closed his eyes.
“No.”
The word escaped quietly.
His mother looked at him.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
He followed Rosalina inside.
⸻
That night, Rosalina sat on her bed.
She looked through the photographs she had taken during the gathering.
There were several of her and the Jonas family.
She smiled.
Then her phone buzzed.
A message from her brother.
Brother: Are you awake?
She replied.
Rosalina: Yes.
Another message appeared.
Brother: Can I come in?
She smiled.
Rosalina: Sure.
A few seconds later, he entered.
He sat beside her.
Neither spoke.
Finally, he looked at the photographs.
“You had fun.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Rosalina looked at him.
“Are you jealous?”
Her brother froze.
“What?”
She laughed.
“I’m joking.”
He forced a laugh.
“Of course not.”
Rosalina smiled.
Then she leaned against his shoulder.
Her brother stopped breathing.
She had done something so simple.
Something she had probably done countless times when they were younger.
But to him…
It felt like being given something he had no right to receive.
He slowly rested his head against hers.
“I missed this.”
Rosalina looked up.
“What?”
“This.”
She smiled.
“Me too.”
His eyes closed.
For one moment, he was happy.
Then another thought came.
Don’t replace me.
His eyes opened.
He hated himself for thinking it.
Rosalina had every right to have other people.
Friends.
Family.
A life beyond them.
Yet some selfish part of him wanted to become the only person she needed.
He didn’t say it.
He couldn’t.
Instead, he gently squeezed her hand.
“Goodnight, Rosalina.”
“Goodnight.”
He left.
⸻
In the hallway, he found Adrian.
They looked at each other.
Neither spoke.
They didn’t need to.
They were thinking the same thing.
The urge had become stronger.
They wanted Rosalina close.
They wanted her safe.
They wanted her happy.
But increasingly, they wanted those things to happen with them.
Not with anyone else.
And that frightened them.
Because they had once been the people who made Rosalina feel unwanted.
Now they were becoming terrified of a world where she might not want them.
Adrian looked toward her bedroom.
“We need to be careful.”
Her brother nodded.
“Because we’re getting worse.”
“No.”
Adrian’s voice was quiet.
“We’re getting honest.”
His brother looked at him.
Adrian stared at Rosalina’s closed door.
“And that’s what scares me.”
Neither of them noticed the bedroom door opening slightly.
Rosalina stood behind it.
She had heard voices.
She couldn’t make out what they were saying.
She watched them walk away.
Then slowly closed the door.
She leaned against it.
Her expression was confused.
Her family had changed.
That much was certain.
But Rosalina still couldn’t understand why.
She touched the necklace around her neck.
The necklace Adrian had given her.
Then she smiled faintly.
Despite everything…
She still loved them.
Maybe that was why she couldn’t bring herself to push them away.
Maybe that was why their affection felt so confusing.
Because some part of her had spent years wishing they would finally look at her like she mattered.
And now they did.
Almost too much.
Almost as if they were afraid that if they stopped watching her for even a moment…
She might disappear.
Rosalina didn’t know why they were so afraid.
She didn’t know what they remembered.
She didn’t know what they had lost.
And she certainly didn’t know that the people downstairs were beginning to fear themselves more than they feared anyone else.
Because loving Rosalina had once been something they took for granted.
Now…
They were discovering how easily love could become obsession.
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