When The Moon Loved The Devil

Baby… why are you looking at us

Rose pov's

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I was in so much pain that my tears fell once again. My body trembled with the intensity of it, as if I couldn't hold the ache inside me anymore.

The anger and brokenness in my voice were unmistakable. My words came out sharp, yet the pain behind each one ran even deeper. The tears in my eyes refused to stop, as if every attempt to stay strong only made me fall apart even more.

Elara watched me silently for a few moments.

"rose… sometimes even our eyes can deceive us. We start believing what isn't true… and we're afraid to accept what actually is." Her voice was soft, yet steady.

She stepped a little closer and took my hand in hers.

"And as for master… understanding him isn't that easy. Some people are so good at hiding their emotions that all you ever see is their harshness. But that doesn't always mean there's hatred behind it."

I lowered my gaze.

"Try to understand him… just once," Elara said softly. "Maybe he's the reason behind your wounds… and the one who can heal them too. Whatever he did, there must be a reason."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. My eyes were still moist, but there was a clear exhaustion in them now.

"I don't know, Elara… I don't want to know anything," I said quietly. "This pain… maybe it's just written in my fate… and now, I've accepted it."

I slightly lifted my head and looked at her.

"I've already made the mistake of falling in love with master once… and I don't want to repeat that mistake again."

Silence filled the room. The wind was still blowing outside, but inside, everything felt frozen… as if I had built walls around my heart so no one could ever reach it again.

"Alright, … relax yourself. Freshen up and come downstairs quickly. Anuty is calling you. We're going out you'll feel better with some fresh air."

She stepped closer and gently caressed my cheek. I gave a faint, forced smile in return. She smiled softly, blinking her eyes… and I nodded my head in agreement.

Then she quietly walked out of the room.

....

(Elara is around 24 years old. She is like an elder sister to rose . Ever since Nayantara first arrived at crimson palace , it has been Elara who has taken care of her. Elara is the daughter of an unknown father… and her mother suffocated to death within the very walls of palace.)

...

After a while…

When I came downstairs, all ready, I took one last look at myself in the mirror and a faint smile touched my lips.

Today, I was wearing a beautiful dress. The neckline was adorned with fine, heavy embroidery, giving it a delicate elegance. The sleeves carried the same intricate work, making the entire look even more graceful.

I paired it with ankle-length pants that complemented the outfit perfectly, and a light net Scarf was neatly pinned to my left side, resting softly over my shoulder.

My hair was left open, cascading in soft waves down to my waist. A small black bindi on my forehead enhanced the simplicity of my face. Kohl lined my eyes, making my gaze more intense, while a soft pink shade on my lips added just the right hint of glow.

Mirror-work earrings dangled from my ears, completing my look and adding a subtle sparkle to my beauty.

The white glass bangles on my wrists chimed softly with every slight movement… as if reminding the world of my presence with their delicate melody.

As I stepped into the hall, I saw Scarf sitting comfortably on the sofa, lost in something on her phone. Her fingers moved swiftly across the screen, as if she was completely absorbed in it.

Walking up to her, I spoke gently, "Shall we go?"

Hearing my voice, she lifted her gaze from the phone and looked at me. For a moment, her eyes lingered on me… and then a soft smile appeared on her lips. Getting up from the sofa, she said, "Hmm… let's go."

I glanced around, as if searching for someone, then asked with slight confusion, "Where's aurelia anuty's ? She was supposed to come with us, right?"

She took a deep breath and then said, "anuty accidentally ate the leftover stale rice from the night before with curry… and well, now she's down with an upset stomach. She took her medicine and is sleeping… uff!"

Hearing that, a soft laugh slipped past my lips. I chuckled lightly and said, "This anuty… such a foodie."

Elara smiled faintly too, nodding her head. " free ka khana unhe bahut pasand hai.. uff , "she absolutely love free food... Ugh! shall we go now?"

At her words, I simply nodded without saying anything, and the two of us stepped out together.

"NovaSquare— mall"

cab stopped outside the mall. I stepped out first, and di followed right behind me. She adjusted her purse, while I stood there for a moment, looking around.

The outside world… it felt so different, so beautiful. Everywhere, there were people—laughing, talking, living life on their own terms.

There was a sense of peace on their faces… a kind of freedom. And then there was me… someone who had everything, yet nothing at all.

Whenever we stepped out, every little move of ours somehow reached christian and his guards. As if even our breaths were under their watch.

No matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't escape that crimson palace … it wasn't just a house, it was a cage… my cage.

"Shall we go inside?"

Her voice broke the chain of my thoughts. I blinked lightly, looking at her, then simply nodded without saying a word.

Just as we were about to step inside the mall, a group of boys' voices fell into my ears—

(Where are you going, baby ! come here for a moment…)

Hearing that, my brows instantly furrowed. My steps halted right there. Slowly, I turned my head in their direction.

A little distance away, four boys were standing together. Among them, one leaned casually against his bike, taking slow drags from his cigarette. There was a strange kind of carelessness and arrogance in his demeanor.

He looked like some rich brat—spoiled by privilege. He was dressed in a white shirt paired with formal jeans, topped with a black leather jacket… adding even more to his intimidating presence.

His eyes were fixed directly on me… as if he was sizing me up… and I absolutely didn't like that gaze.

I stared at them coldly, my gaze hardening—as if just one look should've been enough to remind them of their place… but it had no effect on them.

Instead, the moment they noticed me staring, they burst out laughing.

Just then, one of them stepped forward and said, "Baby… why are you looking at us like that? Come here… In your paradise… we'll fulfill our desires

to be continued...