In her desperation to escape everything that was going on, Rosabella must have fallen asleep in Charles' bed because the next thing she knew it was past midnight and she could hear the water running in the shower.

For a moment, she thought of just waiting for him to finish talking, but when she couldn't take it anymore, she threw the blanket away and struggled out of bed.


She still felt exhausted and sluggish, so she slowly went to the bathroom quietly.

With her fingers resting on the doorknob, she debated whether she should give Charles privacy. Her mind was telling her, yes, but her heart somehow refused.

It pulled her inside, telling her to talk to Charles. She knew that they were busy dealing with Mr. Aiden all day so she somehow knows he won't be at his best.


His back was turned to hers as she stepped inside. She could tell that Charles had heard her, but he was still standing, his hands on the wall, head bowed.

Charles has taken off his shirt, but he's still wearing his pants. Rosabella watched the water flow around him as she took off her dress, dropping it to the floor, as her eyes moved to his discarded shirt.


It was black, the same color he always wore but she licked her lips nervously when she saw the wet patches. She couldn't see the color, but she knew it was blood.

Her heart stuttered at the sight, her eyes moving back to the man in front of her. She should have been disgusted, terrified. She should have wanted to run away. But she is not.

Taking a deep breath, she took off her bra and panties and stepped into the bathroom. Charles's shoulders tightened, but he didn't budge.

Rosabella immediately noticed that the water was freezing cold, so she quickly turned the faucet to the warm side, her hand touching his cold skin, and her body moving closer to him.

"Charles?"

He didn't turn around.

"Charles, look at me."

Charles leaned against the wall, eyes tightly closed as she drew closer.

"Please, Charles," she pleaded.

As soon as the word 'please' came out of her mouth, he turned, facing her. His expression was painful like he was fighting something in his head.

Without saying a word, she rubbed his cheek and kissed his face. No words are needed. She just hugged him.

Standing on her toes, she kissed his closed eyelids and then his forehead.

Charles let out a shaky breath, his shoulders drooping like a loser. Rosabella hugged him to her lap, resting her head on his chest.

His steady heartbeat drummed in her ear, and she planted a kiss on his chest, just above his beating heart.

Her fingers brushed his skin affectionately as he hugged her back, his arms wrapped around her tightly.

His breath left his chest in a loud whistle as he pressed her body towards him.

Rosabella felt his lips on hers.

"I don't want to end this moment." He whispered harshly.

Pulling away from his arms a little, Rosabella took his face in her hands and moved closer until their lips were inches apart.

It was only when they finally met that they realized how much they had longed for this. They kiss with all they have. Slow and deep at first, their tongues move together in a mating dance.

Charles groaned against her lips as he deepened the kiss, tilting his head to the side before hungrily biting into her mouth.

Rosabella's fingers gripped his hair, their harsh breaths filling the shower as she pulled away. Charles bowed for another kiss, but for some reason Rosabella suddenly froze, walking away. Suddenly she couldn't do it.

His eyebrows furrowed. "Is everything..."

"I can not." She gasped, not knowing how he was going to take it.

She couldn't even explain it, but in that moment the intimacy became too much for her to bear. Charles looked at her silently for a moment and didn't comment.

He then reached over her to get some shampoo, squeezing some into his palm before setting it aside. Rosabella began to move away from him, not wanting to interfere with his bathing, as he ran his hand through her hair.

She froze in place by the feeling, when he lathered the shampoo into her hair, his touch was firm, yet gentle enough to send a tingling sensation down her spine, when he massaged her scalp.

Her eyes were closed, and a soft moan escaped her lips. And he didn't stop there.

Rosabella couldn't help but stand there as Charles bathed her from head to toe, soaping every inch of her body before rinsing.

He didn't say a word, didn't even look her in the eye again until he finished. Only when she was clean did he let his eyes follow her skin, settling on the fading bruises along her neck?

Reaching up, he ran his fingertips along them but still did not comment. Instead, he turned away and continued to shower.

—

A week later.

After the death of Mr. Aiden, things are quiet between Rosabella and Charles.

Most of the time, the conversation is light as they talk about anything but things that weigh heavily on their minds like Phoenix and the assailant who has yet to be caught.

They don't avoid each other because they often sleep in the same bed, are speechless, get under the same blanket and fall asleep. However, they are not having sex and are not looking for each other in any other way.

Charles didn't want to mention Rosabella's aversion to intimacy because he knew it would make her uncomfortable. He also knows that this problem will eventually resolve itself.

Charles is aware that the aftermath of murder presents itself differently to each person, and if Rosabella just needed a little space to work things out in her head, he'd be willing to give it up.

He also didn't want to show her that he was aware of his feelings for her. Especially after her reaction to having to stay at the mansion, he doesn't want to add this pressure on her.

These days, Charles seems to be her only support so the last thing he wants is to make her feel like she has to repay him for being there for her.

Plus, Charles also suspects that she feels the same way about him. Because if she reciprocated his feelings, why would she still want to leave the mansion? Did she not want to avoid it herself?