Checking the device, he cursed out loud, immediately replying to unanswered messages.

"Damn it. I've never slept so late."


"You're exhausted."

Michel sent a brief message to Charles and Carlos before getting out of bed and starting to move around the room quickly and fluently.

He was only dressed in boxer clothes, but he quickly went to his closet to grab a new black suit, placing it on the bed as he went to the bathroom to shower.


'I was thinking…" Fanny began, her voice making him pause in front of the bathroom door, turning curiously toward her.

"Uh?"


Fanny licked her lips nervously. "Maybe some sleeping pills won't be so bad... you know... get it for me..." she said softly.

Michel frowned at her statement and turned to stand by the bed she was sitting on, tilting his head to the side.

"Why? But why now? You're pretty adamant that you don't want anything."

Fanny lowered her gaze from him and fumbled with the paper, her fingers pinching the document.

"You can't just expect me to stay awake...because I..."

Michel's face softened as he sat down on the edge of the bed, his eyes still locked on hers.

"Fanny," Michel reached out and took one of her fidgeting hands into his.

His thumb gently brushed over her knuckles as he massaged the tension from her fingers.

"I don't want you to take any drugs because you're a little tired. Look. It's getting better, isn't it? You slept a little more last night, didn't you? So let's go ahead and see how it goes?"

"But..."

He shook his head.

"No. I know how you feel about these things, so let's stay for now, okay? We can always look into it later if needed."

Pressing her lips together, Fanny felt his lips lightly touch her forehead in a small kiss before he stood up and disappeared into the bathroom.

---

"It's gross, Fanny. I never wanted to know much about childbirth and how dilated cervix would help push the baby out of Audrey's vagina." Rosabella complained as the two sat in her room for a change of scenery, drinking lemonade.

While Fanny drank a simple strawberry lemonade, Rosabella added a splash of gin to her glass after spending a bloody afternoon in the infirmary, trained by a midwife to predict Audrey's due date.

"But I think you will be supported." Fanny took a sip, twirling the straw in the glass.

Rosabella nodded.

"And thank God for that."

There was a single knock on the door before Kaylin entered the room, her eyes widening in surprise at Rosabella's company.

"Fanny! Wow, you're up... they make you sound like you're tied to the bed like a madman." Kaylin laughed.

Fanny cast a confused look at Rosabella because she didn't recognize the woman standing in front of her, who was casually sitting on the small armchair opposite them as if she had done so many times before.

"Uh. Fanny. This is Kaylin. She's also a newly recruited Black Roses member." Rosabella explained, noticing how confused her best friend was, guessing that perhaps she was confused about the fact that Kaylin seemed to know not only her name but hers as well.

"Newly recruited Black Roses?" Fanny asked.

Kaylin laughed. "Technically, I've worked for the boys for years. Michel just needed convincing to finally add me in. We're back." She casually explained as she reached out for a spare cup and a pitcher of lemonade on the coffee table to pour her one.

"Is there something..."

"Gin? Here." Rosabella hands her the bottle, much to Fanny's interest.

What is happening?

Who is this woman who seems to have worked for the Black Roses for many years? Not only does she seem to be close to her best friend, but she also seems to have a history with Michel. Fanny thought.

We return. What does this even mean?

"Are you... you and Michel back?" She couldn't help but ask.

However, Kaylin didn't seem too bothered by the question as she continued to leisurely sip a drink she held in one hand while texting on her phone with the other.

"Huh? Oh, yes. I used to work at Cabaret's house. You may have heard of it. Black Roses have some big stakes in this place. Anyway, the boys will do a lot of the work there and it was Michel and I connected."

As soon as those words left Kaylin's mouth, Rosabella choked on the drink and began to cough loudly, leaning over as the liquid felt like it had accidentally gone down the wrong pipe.

Fanny sat there frozen with eyes as big as plates. Michel and Kaylin were connected?

Seeing the two girls's reactions, Kaylin suddenly realized that they weren't aware of the length of her relationship with Michel.

"But that's been over for a while." Kaylin quickly replenished her defense, hoping to control some damage.

'Sorry, I was just thinking… yes, I suppose… sorry…" Kaylin looked back and forth between Fanny and Rosabella, knowing she couldn't save the situation.

"Are you guys hooked up?" Rosabella gasped after she finally regained her breath, wiping her chin with a napkin.

Kaylin seemed apologetic as she witnessed Fanny's displeasure over this information.

Although she didn't need to feel ashamed of what she and Michel had done, she felt bad for bothering the girl who had been through so much.

"Honestly, it's just messy. Nothing serious. And that was a few months ago."

Fanny continued to stare at her speechless, a bitter scowl covering her face.

"God! I wouldn't have… you just don't seem like his type." Rosabella exclaimed honestly as the girl next to her took a deep breath, thinking that maybe her best friend got it all wrong.

Maybe she's not Michel's type. Kaylin looks like a bomb with her hair styled and red lip gloss while Fanny looks like the sweet girl next door.

"Sorry..." Fanny stood up from the couch.

"Where are you going, Fanny?"

She doesn't care. All she can think about right now is to stay away from this woman and Rosabella, who seems to be a better fit for this family than she.