His dangerous lover

Chapter 4: All Guns Blazing

"I can’t…?" asked Rose, looking at both Amber and Melissa with a puzzled and slightly disheartened expression.

Amber didn't understand what her niece was thinking, so she remained silent for a while. Deep in her heart, however, she was feeling a little uneasy.

After all, Amber had known Rose since she was a child. She had watched her grow up, so she knew the girl’s personality very well.

But after she had pushed her into the sea and the b***h survived to make a comeback, her behavior had been unpredictable. Amber couldn’t tell if Rose really had amnesia, but it was clear that she’d had a change in personality.

It was possible that Rose had forgotten absolutely nothing and there was simply some kind of conspiracy going on.

While Amber’s mind raced with a thousand thoughts, Melissa didn't seem to care about anything else except what was happening at the moment.

In the past, Rose's father used to have the final say in the family, and everyone bent over backward to please her to get on his good side. Rose never had to lift a finger to do anything, yet she could still have everything she wanted. She could just live her life in blissful enjoyment, and that used to make Melissa terribly envious.

But things were different now. It was her father who had become the head of the family, which meant Melissa was now the true princess of the Sommers family. What right did Rose still have to make demands like wanting to stay in Melissa’s room?

The gall this b***h had to think she was still somebody. She had turned into a complete nobody now!

Melissa's annoyance was evident on her face as she continued to shout angrily, "You’re damn right you can’t! Just because something happened to you, don't expect everyone else to give way and cater to your every wish! Especially now that the Sommers Group belongs to my dad! Get it into your head that things have now changed, or else another ‘accident’ might happen and you’d really be reunited with your parents!"

When she heard that last line, Amber's expression changed. She felt frustrated that she couldn't stop her daughter from speaking—not without making things look even more suspicious.

Right now, she could only look carefully at Rose's face, trying to gauge her reaction to Melissa’s words.

But Rose continued to appear merely puzzled, as if she couldn't understand why Melissa was so angry, nor what she meant by "another accident."

This made Amber breathe a secret sigh of relief, but the feeling only lasted a moment before her uneasiness returned. She hoped that Rose really did have amnesia, because otherwise…

That would mean her suspicions were correct. And if Rose proved to be an enemy who could put on an act like this and endure anything that was thrown at her, then that would be frightening.

To distract herself from such thoughts, Amber finally spoke up.

"Don’t mind your cousin, dearie,” she said, addressing Rose soothingly. “Just stay here for now. And if you really can’t bear it, we'll find another arrangement that might suit you better." She turned to her daughter and said in a pacifying manner, "Go back to your room for now, dearest. Your cousin just came back, so let her have a good rest, okay?"

After giving Rose one final glare, Melissa turned around angrily and stalked off. Amber gave Rose a chagrined smile, told her to rest well, and followed Melissa.

Rose smiled as well as she watched them leave, then entered her own room. As soon as she closed the door, her expression suddenly turned cold.

She looked at the guest bedroom, which could only be described as drab and plain. Given the Sommers family's deep pockets, she knew for a fact that they weren’t so poor, they couldn’t afford to be more extravagant with the rooms they reserved for guests.

Raising her mobile phone, Rose took a few photos from carefully selected angles. She wanted to make sure that she captured exactly what she wanted others to see.

Due to the recent events that had happened to the Sommers, particularly her own disappearance and dramatic return just a while ago, the number of people who followed her and kept an eye on her Twitter page had increased significantly.

After taking the pictures, Rose posted them to her page at once with the simple caption, "Home!"

…

Early the next morning, Richard's phone began ringing non-stop, as if it was a hornet's nest that had been poked by someone. Unable to bear the constant calls that came one after the other, many of which were from unknown numbers, he finally couldn't hold it in anymore and answered one of them.

"Thanks for taking my call, Mr. Sommers. I’m a reporter for JXN News. May I get a comment on the allegation that you’ve been treating your niece Rose Sommers poorly?"

At this time, Richard was still in bed and could not, for the life of him, understand why he was suddenly being asked such a question. He sat up and replied with urgency and annoyance, "What do you mean by that? Don't talk nonsense!"

Without even waiting for an answer, he hung up the call angrily.

As soon as he did so, his phone rang again with another call. Richard didn’t waste any more time on it and immediately turned on the TV to watch the news.

The following headlines greeted him at once:

"Sommers' daughter returns but is met with a cold reception!"

"The dark secrets of the ultra-rich revealed—the truth behind the touching family reunion!"

Suddenly, Richard’s roar of fury echoed throughout the room, "Those two idiots!!! Why can’t they do anything right?!"

…

The rise of the internet has also given rise to a thriving journalism industry, with overwhelming coverage that was purely for entertainment.

Sitting in his office at noon, Joseph quirked the corners of his mouth in amusement.

On his phone screen, he clicked on Rose's Twitter post, which had the caption "Home!" alongside the photos of a humble bedroom reminiscent of an ordinary hotel. It formed a stark contrast with the mansion he had seen when he dropped Rose off there the previous day.

This young woman was coming out with all guns blazing as soon as she returned. Seeing this almost made up for their hasty goodbye yesterday, when Rose was whisked away by her aunt and cousin while Joseph was corralled by Richard into eating dinner with him.

Though he had obliged, it had not been a fun time for him. He had mostly spent it in silence, barely eating while the older man droned on and on.

He hadn’t been able to see Rose again before he left, with Richard citing that he wanted his niece to have a good rest and that she’d be having her dinner in comfort in her own room.

This room.

Joseph scrolled down Rose’s post to read some of the enthusiastic comments left by netizens ever since the previous evening.

"Wow… Is this how the Sommers treat a relative who has made a miraculous return home?"

"As soon as Richard Sommers came into power, his personality made a U-turn. That's not how Sean Sommers treated him when he was alive. Why is he treating his niece like a beggar when his brother treated him like a prince?"

"I feel so sorry for Rose!"

Amid these comments that sided with Rose and criticized her extended family, however, there were also some detractors.

"Well, who told her to go back and live with relatives if they’re so bad? She should just leave if she doesn’t like it.”

“That’s right. Even if Sean Sommers has passed away, there are still those other properties he had left behind. Why didn’t she just go back to where she used to live?”

“It’s hilarious how many stupid people are feeling sorry for the rich. As if they could ever have it as bad as the rest of us."

Seeing those kinds of comments, Joseph closed his eyes, which had started to glint coldly with cynicism.

Many years ago, people had also whispered with contempt about him. They only stopped when he turned everything around and trampled those who had robbed him of his birthright.

For a long time, Joseph looked back on his dark past. He was only interrupted when his phone rang as it received a call.

It was from Richard.

Speak of the devil, Joseph thought, having conflated the man with those who had treated him unjustly. After all, they were all the same types of people at their core—just a bunch of greedy thieves with no morals.

After letting out a soft and humorless snort, Joseph answered, “Yes?”

"Joseph!” Richard said exuberantly. “We didn't get to have a good drink yesterday. What do you say I make up for that today? Do you have time for a few drinks?"

"…There’s no rush," Joseph replied slowly. "I just saw the news. Isn't it inconvenient for you to be entertaining someone else right now?” He paused. “If it’s too much trouble for you to have Rose over, I can have her stay with me longer."

"Nonsense, nonsense,” Richard replied, pretending to wave the issue away. “If it’s you, there’s no inconvenience too great. My family will never forget the kindness you showed Rose. For that alone, we owe you too much already. As for what’s happening online, don’t pay it any mind. I can assure you, none of it is true. Besides, how can we even think of troubling you again?"

Richard ended his words with a chuckle.

In contrast, Joseph’s tone remained serious and firm when he answered, "It’s no trouble. I like people like Rose. She’s clever and sensible—despite her present difficulties. It’ll be a plus and not a loss to have her as my guest again."

“Is… that so…”

Richard seemed to be stymied by Joseph’s assertive words and aura, unsure whether the younger man really meant what he said or not.

He didn’t want to believe that such praise could apply to the useless girl he knew. He wanted even less for Rose to live anywhere except where he could easily keep an eye on her, not to mention control whatever she might do next.

Thus, Richard replied after a long hesitation, "You can rest assured, Joseph, my home is as good as Rose's now. She will be well taken care of with us."

“…Is that so.”

After giving that noncommittal reply, returning Richard’s words to him while also giving the impression that he didn’t really care either way, Joseph soon ended the call.

He also made no mention of accepting Richard’s invitation for a drink.