"That's fine. She's happy. That's great. But I'm different from her."

"Now you want to talk about you? Okay, then let's talk about you."


Charles' fingers sank into her arm again as he pulled her to an adjoining room just off the main reception hall.

"You want to live a normal life, don't you? Away from the horrible privilege you're used to? Or do we kill the scary bastards? But you know, Rosabella, I'd love to see you try. Go back to your life and date some normal guy. Because I can tell you right now what's going to happen..."

He stepped closer, his face drooping toward hers as his voice dropped, its sudden bass making her instantly feel the dampness between her legs.


"You will get bored. Are you talking about your ordinary life?" He gasped as he took another inch closer to her, his chest now pressed against hers, causing her nipples to brush against the fabric of her dress as she felt his lips and hot breath in her ear.

Oh my gosh, why does he have to smell so good?


"Then tell me... is it as interesting as this?" He slipped a hand behind her back and let it go down, stroking one of her butts in his palm to pull her against his erection while he licked the crust. outside of her ear.

"Does it give you a thrill like this?" He whispered as he lowered his lips and began to leave wet little kisses on her neck.

"Like this, princess?" He moved to the other side of her neck, giving it the same treatment.

Rosabella couldn't stop her as her breathing began to come fast and heavy, her chest heaving as she grabbed his shoulders with both hands to steady herself.

She felt heat on her face as the irritation between her thighs only got worse.

"Did you ever feel like this before you became part of us? Huh... you like danger don't you, Rosabella..."

"Charles," she groaned, her fingers tightening as he tilted his hips to rub his hardness against hers.

"Ask me and I'll give it to you..."

Yes. She needs this.

Though just as she was moving her lips to speak to him, a burst of gunfire suddenly erupted, causing Charles to immediately grab her and push her aside, slipping the gun out of its holster to enter it. location.

The conversion happens quickly. Too fast. But it was there. Gone is the Charles she was used to and back to who he was supposed to be: Second Commander.

—

Everything ended.

The men they shot down were bleeding on the floor while Archibald once again escaped.

People were slowly getting up from their crouching positions, trying to feel safe again while the mess in the reception room was still evident with broken table decorations and ruined flower arrangements.

They all escaped death by a thin line.

Charles watched Michel carry Fanny out hysterically when he turned and saw Rosabella sitting beside him on the floor, her face as white as paper.

"Rosabella..." He reached out his hand but stopped when he noticed her gaze.

They widened their eyes with tears pooling in the corners as they seemed to witness something that scared her to the bone.

What surprised him, however, was that she almost immediately suppressed her emotions and tried to stand up, her lips pressed together in a straight line.

"Archibald." She just said the name as if it carried a heavy weight on her tongue.

Charles frowned. "What?"

"The gunman. Michel calls him Archibald." Her pale face found him, having swallowed back her tears.

"It was him. He was the one who broke into Fanny's apartment. And the men with him..."

Opening his eyes wide, he looked at her incredulously.

"But you can't see that day. You're hiding in..."

"I know what I heard, Charles." She shouted, her orbs that had shown terror just seconds ago were now filled with fury and determination.

"I can never fail to hear those voices and I'm telling you it's them."

---

Rosabella didn't even give him a chance to talk to her again, demanding immediately that they needed to find Fanny and Michel to talk to them.

He wanted to tell her that her best friend was taking the best care possible and didn't need Rosabella to comfort her, but he also understood that at that moment he couldn't say or do anything, nothing to change Rosabella's mind.

Back at the office at the Black Roses mansion, they witness the couple breaking away from a kiss, but that doesn't stop Rosabella.

"It's him. Isn't it, Fanny? That voice..."

Michel stood up and nodded, not too worried about Rosabella once again deciding to ignore the rule of first knocking after entering the office.

"That's right. It was Archibald who kidnapped Fanny and ordered the attack on her father."

Charles followed Rosabella into the room and swallowed his surprise that Michel hadn't lost it to the girl's abrasion.

Not wanting to wallow in it, he joined in the conversation, voicing his own thoughts and conclusions that he came to during the drive.

"I guess he knew about Davies dealing with Phoenix a long time ago." He crossed his arms across his chest.

Rosabella reflected on the action, her face scowling as she looked at Michel.

"And what are you going to do with that? That bastard escaped. He..."

"Rosabella," Charles stepped forward, his voice warning her not to cross the line with their Black Roses leader.

Panting, she dropped her shoulders and focused instead on Fanny, crouching in front of her as she sat in the chair behind her desk.

"How do you feel?" she asked, nervously sweeping her eyes down.

Fanny reached out and took a half-full whiskey in her hand, flinching at the burning taste on her tongue.

"I've seen better days."

---

Without even asking her if she was okay, Charles just followed Rosabella into her room, closing the door behind them as he entered behind her.

"Look at me." His voice was strained and impatient.

Rosabella turned and crossed her arms. "What, Charles?"

"You don't have to do this, you know."

"Do what?"

"Action, Rosabella."

Her face dropped before that word, her arms folded as she dropped them to her sides, looked at him in disbelief as he stood there, and also fixed her with a determined look, defying her scowl.

"Act?" She almost screamed.

Charles stepped closer, hands on hips, towering over her.

"Exactly. Put on a show. Tough action." He didn't back down as he watched her swallow bitterly as if she suddenly had an unpleasant taste on her tongue.

He continued. "Meet Archibald today? Hear his voice? It scared you, Rosabella. Bring back the trauma you went through. But instead of being honest about it, you ran to Fanny and took action. as if she's someone who needs to be saved when in reality you're in trouble."

Upon hearing this, anger rose on her face as her eyes became two blazing flames, aiming for her target.