They almost avoided each other after that.

Charles keeps his distance from her, and to keep her hair from falling out, Rosabella starts showing up at breakfast and dinner, getting her increasingly drawn into their family business as Audrey asked her to work as a nurse.


She really doesn't want anything to do with them, preferring to stay in her room until there's any news, but she has to admit that once she's referred to Christian's place for several jobs, that kept her from completely losing it.

That is until they actually bring Fanny back. Because that day, one of Rosabella's biggest fears came true.

Fanny - her best friend who was closest to an older sister who was drugged, raped, beaten, and starved.


Rosabella would have lost it right there if it weren't for Christian's words that Fanny now needs her help. So that's what she did.

Rosabella has almost gone to mechanical support to help Christian take care of her, resisting the urge to go completely crazy as she continues to do her job day in and day out.


Until Fanny finally woke up and went on a rampage. Those bastards just ordered her out of their office as if her opinion didn't make any sense.

But she's not done yet. This time, she'll be the one to just go to his room and ask for what she wants.

Charles. She will kill him.

---

Searching the room, she saw him getting ready to take off his tie all day, staring at her in amazement because she hadn't even knocked on his door.

"I want Fanny in my room."

"And you think doing a stunt like you did before will help you? You're lucky Michel didn't shoot you. She'll stay where she is." He simply replied, moving on to unbutton his sleeve.

"She didn't want to stay there."

Charles shrugged.

"Difficult. Anything else?" He came to stand in front of her, his hands on his hips as if he was just waiting for her to finish so he could kick her out.

But Rosabella couldn't do it anymore. The pressure of all three days suddenly fell on her at that moment.

Fanny is back. Take care of her. See how broken she is.

This time she couldn't act forcefully anymore. This time, she was actually in tears, her breath coming quickly as she pressed her lips together and wrapped her arms around her as if to shield herself from this mess.

Charles gulped as the first drop appeared and fell from her eyes.

He half expected her to leave, didn't want him to see her in this state, but she didn't.

Rosabella just stood there, her fingers digging into her embrace as the tears began to fall freely.

Clearing his throat, not knowing how to handle this kind of emotion, Charles looked around the room uncomfortably before going to the cupboard and pulling out a glass and a bottle of amber liquid. Taking a sip, he turned back to her and handed her the drink.

"Here. It'll make you feel better." He said, his voice softer now than before.

Taking in a shaky breath, Rosabella reached out and took it, her hand shaking as her fingers wrapped around the cool sunglasses.

"What's up?"

Her eyes found him.

"I thought you weren't drinking."

He shrugs.

"When I'm not on duty, I drink occasionally."

Wiping her tears with one hand, Rosabella threw the drink back with the other, wincing at the terrible taste on her tongue.

Drinking four glasses of wine, Rosabella felt better, leaning against one of his bookcases, her face flushed as her lips looked a little swollen.

"As soon as I close my eyes, I hear it..." She said in a quiet voice, taking a deep breath.

"What?"

Rosabella placed her empty highball glass on one of the shelves and ran her hand through her hair.

"Fanny yelled. The shots killed her father. The heavy footsteps of the intruders. And I couldn't do anything. I was useless."

Charles watched her as another tear fell down her cheek, Rosabella quickly wiped it away. The space was silent for a few seconds, the heaviness in the room grew denser.

"What happened is not your fault."

"That's right."

Standing up from the couch he was sitting on, Charles walked over to her and shook his head.

"And what do you think you can do? Because Fanny will die, and they will kill you too. You did the right thing by staying."

Without even realizing it, he put a hand on her arm as he spoke. Rosabella was stunned and at her reaction, he suddenly realized it too.

Though, instead of pulling it together, he couldn't help him. Because he finally gets a little taste of how her skin feels.

And it feels good... soft and smooth...

"Don't touch me like that, Charles." Rosabella's soft voice ripped through his frenzy.

Licking his lips, he swallowed, squeezing out a word he was capable of at that moment. Because he sure as hell can't do anything else. Definitely don't pull his hand back.

"Why?"

Rosabella held his gaze, her lush lips parted.

Oh my gosh, she feels it too. He knows she did.

And when she didn't answer him, her eyes simply moved down to where they were touching, he became bolder, moving his hand up her arm, fingers His strong hand wrapped around it as his thumb stroked her cautiously.

Charles licked his lips. "Have you ever dated a man, Rosabella?"

Her heart pounded in her chest at his words. Was he just asking her that?

Dropping her hand, he was about to step back, but to his surprise, she nodded. "I've had sex before."

"That's not what I asked." He said, stopping right in front of her, toes touching her as he looked down at her.

"I don't care about guys who may have fumbled between your legs once or twice. I want to know if you've ever dated a man."

Rosabella hesitated before slowly shaking her head. If he is a man, if this is what it means to be with a man, then no, she has never been with a man.