Chapter 5
2047 Words
Rosalina didn’t understand what had happened to her family.
She had spent the entire week trying to figure it out.
And somehow…
She was getting even more confused.
Ever since the Jonas family’s visit, things had become worse.
Or perhaps better.
She wasn’t sure anymore.
Her family had become unbearably attentive.
At breakfast, her mother insisted on preparing her plate.
At lunch, her father asked whether she liked the meal before touching his own food.
Her siblings constantly found excuses to sit beside her.
And Adrian…
Adrian had become almost impossible to escape.
Not in a frightening way.
At least, not intentionally.
He simply seemed to always be there.
If Rosalina went to the library, Adrian happened to be there.
If she went outside, he suddenly had something to discuss with her.
If she mentioned going shopping, he offered to drive her.
If she said she was tired, tea appeared beside her.
If she coughed once…
Five people asked if she was sick.
It was exhausting.
Yet strangely…
Rosalina couldn’t bring herself to hate it.
That was the part that troubled her most.
Because despite everything they had done to her before…
She still loved them.
⸻
Rosalina had never understood why.
Perhaps she should have stopped loving them years ago.
Perhaps she should have become bitter.
Maybe she should have packed her belongings and left the mansion without looking back.
But she hadn’t.
Even when her mother ignored her birthday.
Even when her father dismissed her opinions.
Even when her siblings laughed at her.
Even when Adrian treated their marriage like an obligation…
Rosalina had still loved them.
Quietly.
Embarrassingly.
Hopelessly.
She had remembered her mother’s favorite tea and prepared it whenever she was stressed.
She had remembered her father’s meetings and wished him luck before every important presentation.
She had bought birthday gifts for her siblings even when they forgot hers.
She had stayed awake waiting for Adrian to return home.
She had defended them when outsiders criticized them.
She had celebrated their victories as though they were her own.
She had never stopped hoping.
Maybe someday…
They would love her back.
That hope had been the one thing she had never been able to kill.
And now they were finally giving her the affection she had spent years secretly wishing for.
That should have made her happy.
So why did it hurt?
⸻
One morning, Rosalina stood in front of her closet.
She stared at the dresses.
She had somewhere to go that afternoon.
She had been invited to the Jonas family’s gathering.
She had been looking forward to it all week.
Not because she disliked being at home.
But because the Jonas family made her feel normal.
Safe.
Wanted.
She reached for a pale lavender dress.
Before she could take it from the hanger, her bedroom door opened.
“Rosalina?”
She turned.
Her mother stood there.
“Mother?”
“I brought you something.”
Her mother walked toward her carrying a garment bag.
Inside was a dress.
Lavender.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
And unmistakably expensive.
Rosalina stared.
“It’s beautiful.”
“I thought you’d like it.”
Her mother smiled.
“You used to love this color.”
Rosalina touched the fabric.
“I still do.”
Her mother froze for half a second.
Then smiled.
“I’m glad.”
Rosalina looked at the dress.
“Why are you doing all this?”
Her mother looked at her.
“Doing what?”
“Buying me things.”
“You deserve them.”
The answer came instantly.
Rosalina looked down.
She didn’t know what to say.
Her mother stepped closer.
“You should have always been spoiled.”
Rosalina laughed softly.
“That’s not like you.”
Her mother’s smile faltered.
“I know.”
There was sadness in her voice.
Rosalina noticed.
“Are you okay?”
Her mother nodded.
“Yes.”
Then she reached out and gently tucked a strand of Rosalina’s hair behind her ear.
“I just wish I had realized sooner.”
“Realized what?”
Her mother smiled.
“That you like lavender.”
Rosalina stared at her.
She had liked lavender since she was a child.
Her mother had always known.
That was what made the answer strange.
“Mother…”
Her mother leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
“Don’t worry about it.”
She left.
Rosalina stood alone in the room.
She touched the place where her mother’s lips had been.
Her heart felt strangely heavy.
⸻
Downstairs, her mother stopped in the hallway.
Her husband was waiting.
“She didn’t understand.”
“No.”
“Did she suspect?”
“Perhaps.”
Her husband sighed.
“At least she’s still here.”
His wife looked toward the staircase.
“That’s what matters.”
They both knew what they had almost lost.
They had arrived at this point in time before everything had completely fallen apart.
Before Rosalina’s love had disappeared.
Before she had stopped trying.
Before she had finally looked at them with indifference.
Fate had given them something they never deserved.
Time.
And they intended to use every second.
⸻
By noon, Rosalina had received three more gifts.
A new handbag from her sister.
A bracelet from her brother.
And a small box from Adrian.
She opened his first.
Inside was a necklace.
Her eyes widened.
She recognized it immediately.
“I remember this.”
Adrian stood nearby.
“You wanted it.”
“Years ago.”
“I know.”
She looked at him.
“You remembered?”
“Of course.”
Rosalina laughed nervously.
“You’ve changed.”
His expression softened.
“I know.”
She touched the necklace.
There was a strange ache in her chest.
Because she remembered asking for it.
She remembered Adrian dismissing it.
She remembered him telling her she was being childish for wanting something so sentimental.
She had never bought it for herself.
Now he was giving it to her.
“Why?”
He stepped closer.
“Because I should have given it to you then.”
Rosalina looked down.
Her fingers tightened around the necklace.
“You don’t have to make up for everything.”
Adrian’s expression changed.
“Yes.”
The word was quiet.
“But I do.”
She looked at him.
He didn’t explain.
He simply took the necklace and gently fastened it around her neck.
His fingers lingered for a moment.
Rosalina felt her cheeks warm.
“Thank you.”
Adrian smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
Then he looked at the necklace.
“It suits you.”
Rosalina smiled.
For a moment…
Everything felt normal.
Almost like the family she’d always wished they could be.
And that frightened her more than anything.
⸻
The day of the Jonas gathering arrived.
A week had passed since their unexpected visit.
Rosalina stood in front of the mirror wearing the lavender dress her mother had bought.
She looked beautiful.
Elegant.
Almost unreal.
She adjusted the necklace around her neck.
A knock came.
“Come in.”
Her sister entered.
She stopped.
“Wow.”
Rosalina laughed.
“What?”
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
Her sister walked closer.
Then she suddenly hugged her.
Rosalina froze.
Her sister rarely hugged her.
Actually…
She couldn’t remember the last time.
“You’ll have fun today,” her sister whispered.
Rosalina smiled.
“I hope so.”
Her sister pulled away.
“Promise me something.”
“What?”
“Call me if you need anything.”
Rosalina blinked.
“I’ll only be gone for a few hours.”
“I know.”
Her sister smiled.
“Just promise.”
Rosalina sighed.
“Fine.”
Her sister kissed her cheek.
Then left.
Rosalina stared after her.
“This family…”
She shook her head.
⸻
Downstairs, everyone was waiting.
The moment Rosalina descended the staircase, every conversation stopped.
Her father looked up.
Her mother smiled.
Her siblings stared.
Adrian’s eyes softened.
Rosalina reached the bottom.
“Why is everyone looking at me?”
Her brother smiled.
“Because you look beautiful.”
Her mother nodded.
“Absolutely beautiful.”
Her father smiled.
“You always have.”
Rosalina’s heart fluttered.
She wasn’t used to compliments from them.
Especially not sincere ones.
“Thank you.”
Her father approached.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll drive you.”
Adrian spoke immediately.
“So will I.”
Rosalina looked between them.
“I can drive myself.”
“No.”
Again.
Both men said it simultaneously.
Rosalina sighed.
“You’re all impossible.”
Her family laughed.
For once…
She laughed with them.
And nobody missed the significance of that sound.
Because in their previous life, they had barely heard it.
⸻
The car ride was quiet.
Rosalina looked out the window.
She couldn’t stop thinking.
She loved them.
That was the problem.
Even after everything…
She loved them.
She couldn’t erase years of affection simply because they had treated her poorly.
There were memories she still cherished.
Her father’s rare praise when she was a child.
Her mother’s hand brushing her hair.
Her siblings sneaking into her room when they were younger.
Adrian’s first smile after their wedding.
Those memories still mattered.
Maybe that’s why their sudden kindness hurt so much.
Because some part of her had always wanted this.
She wanted her mother to hug her.
Her father to notice her.
Her siblings to care.
Her husband to look at her like she mattered.
And now she had it.
But she didn’t know why.
Rosalina looked down at her hands.
“Maybe…”
She whispered.
“Maybe I should just be happy.”
Adrian heard her.
He glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
He knew she was lying.
But he didn’t push.
⸻
The Jonas estate was beautiful.
Modern.
Massive glass windows.
Perfect gardens.
Elegant architecture.
Nothing like the old-fashioned grandeur of Rosalina’s family’s mansion.
The moment Rosalina stepped out of the car, she saw the Jonas family waiting.
“Rosalina!”
She smiled.
“Mrs. Jonas!”
Mrs. Jonas immediately hugged her.
“We’ve been waiting for you.”
Rosalina laughed.
“I’m only a little late.”
“Three minutes.”
The Jonas son smiled.
“We counted.”
Rosalina rolled her eyes.
“You people are ridiculous.”
They laughed.
Behind her…
Her family watched.
They smiled.
They greeted the Jonas family politely.
Nobody would have guessed what was happening beneath those smiles.
Rosalina looked happy.
That should have been enough.
But when the Jonas family surrounded her, something inside Rosalina’s family tightened.
They had spent an entire week becoming closer to her.
And now someone else was pulling her attention away.
They hated how much it bothered them.
They hated how much they wanted to interrupt.
They hated how easily Rosalina smiled around the Jonas family.
But most of all…
They hated themselves for being jealous.
Because Rosalina deserved friends.
She deserved people who loved her.
She deserved happiness.
They knew that.
And yet…
When the Jonas family’s eldest son offered Rosalina his arm and she accepted it with a smile…
Adrian’s fingers curled slightly.
His expression remained pleasant.
His father noticed.
His mother noticed.
Everyone noticed.
Nobody said anything.
Rosalina didn’t notice at all.
She simply walked into the Jonas estate surrounded by people who cared about her.
For the first time, her family’s jealousy was no longer something they could dismiss.
It wasn’t simply jealousy.
It was possessiveness.
It was fear.
It was the desperate need to remain important to her.
And deep down, they all understood why.
They had once been given Rosalina’s love freely.
They had treated it as though it meant nothing.
Now they had another chance.
A chance granted to them at the exact moment when Rosalina still loved them.
Before she had stopped hoping.
Before she had stopped caring.
Before she had finally given up on being loved by her own family.
Fate had brought them back at the perfect moment.
And perhaps that was the cruelest joke of all.
Because now they knew exactly how precious Rosalina’s love was.
And they were terrified that someone else might receive the love they had once thrown away.
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