Chapter 10
Staying in Rozen’s house felt surreal.
I never thought I would see him again, let alone live under his roof. But after everything that had happened–after losing my children, after Lucien’s betrayal–I had nowhere else to go. And Rozen… he didn’t hesitate to take me in.”
The estate was just as I remembered it from years ago. Grand, elegant, untouched by time. Yet, despite its vastness, there was a warmth to it–a familiarity that tugged at something deep inside me.N
I sat by the large window in my room, staring out at the sprawling gardens, lost in thought.”
Rozen.
I had known him since childhood. Our parents were old friends, business partners who often visited each other’s estates. As kids, we had spent countless summers running through these very halls, hiding in the gardens, laughing until our stomachs ached.}
And then, there was that promise.N
I smiled faintly, remembering it.
We were eight years old, sitting beneath a cherry blossom tree in his family’s courtyard.}
“Mara,” Rozen had said, crossing his arms like the stubborn boy he was, “when we grow up, I’m going to marry you.”
I had giggled, plucking petals from the grass. “You can’t decide that on your own.“}]
He had frowned. “Why not?“N
“Because I might want to marry someone else!” I teased, enjoying the way his scowl deepened.”
pression
But then his expression softened, and he took my hand in his. “Then I’ll just have to be the best, so you won’t want anyone else.“>
Even at that age, Rozen had been determined.
And 1–foolish, young, innocent–had believed him.§
But life had other plans.
We were separated when his family moved overseas, and though we had written letters at first, time and distance eventually pulled us apart. I had cried the day I realized he wasn’t coming back.
And now, all these years later, here we were again.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t hear the door open until Rozen’s deep voice broke through the silence.
“Dinner is ready.”
I turned, startled. He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching me with an unreadable expression.
“You okay?” he asked, noticing something on my face.
I hesitated before nodding. “Just… thinking.”}
“About what?”
“Our childhood,” I admitted.
His lips quirked up slightly. “I remember a lot from those days.“}]
A raised a brow. “Oh yeah?”
He smirked. “Like how you used to chase me around, demanding I play house with you.”
I rolled my eyes. “You liked playing house.”}
He chuckied. “Maybe. Or maybe I just liked doing anything with you.“>
Heat crept up my neck at his words, but before I could respond, he tilted his head toward the hallway. “Come on, before dinner gets cold.”
I followed him to the dining room, where a beautifully set table awaited. The food smelled incredible, and as I sat down, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of peace. It had been so long since I’d sat down for a meal like this–without tension, without fear.
Rozen took the seat across from me, watching as I picked up my fork. “You like it?”
I took a bite and moaned ‘softly. “This is amazing. Did you make this?”
He smirked. “I had some help.”
I shook my head, smiling. For a moment, it was easy to forget everything that had happened.§
But the moment didn’t last.
The butler entered the room, a thick envelope in his hands.
Rozen took it, flipping through the contents before passing it to me.
I pulled out the papers, my breath hitching as I saw the photos inside.}
Vanessa.
She was hiding in the outskirts of town, her face partially covered by a scarf, her body hunched as if trying to disappear.
I skimmed through the reports attached.
Lucien had abandoned her.
After everything she had done, after all her lies had been exposed, he wanted nothing to do with her.
Good W
I clenched the papers in my hands, my heart pounding.”
This was it.
I looked up at Rozen, my voice steady.
“Prepare the car,” I said.
“I’m going to meet her.”
