Chapter 5

"Well, well, looks like the lovebirds are getting along splendidly," Karl said with a laugh. "At this rate, I'll be drinking at Luke's wedding soon enough!" His voice pulled Rosalie back to reality. She quickly raised her camera and snapped a few shots to capture the grand climax of the night's event. On the stage, Luke and Joslyn broke apart. She blushed deeply and waved toward the third floor. "That's enough for tonight, Rosie. Thank you so much!" Rosalie finally breathed a sigh of relief. After packing up her gear, she headed downstairs to where Marion and Karl stood. Marion was chatting warmly with Joslyn while holding her hand. "Karl and I got held up on the way. I hope you don't mind, Josyln." "Of course not, Mr. and Mrs. Davies. You arrived just in time. We haven't even cut the cake yet," Joslyn replied cheerfully. Karl turned to Luke with a satisfied expression and clapped him on the shoulder. "Luke, I'm glad you've finally settled down. Since you gave Joslyn the family's necklace, isn't it time we invite the Woodwards over to discuss the wedding details?" Joslyn's face turned an even deeper shade of red. She gazed at Luke with stars in her eyes before shifting her attention to Rosalie. "I'm fine with that. It's just that I don't have many friends here. I might need Rosie's help. Be my bridesmaid, okay?" Busy rubbing her aching hands, Rosalie hadn't caught what she said. It wasn't until Marion nudged her and repeated what Joslyn had said that she finally snapped back to reality. When she looked up, her face was calm, devoid of any readable emotion. "Sorry. I have other commitments and probably won't be able to make it to the wedding. But I sincerely wish you two a lifetime of happiness. I'm glad that I'll be having a sister-in-law." Her words brought smiles to everyone's faces—except Luke's. He cast a dark, unreadable glance at Rosalie. The faint smile on his lips slowly vanished. … The agonizingly long night was finally over. Rosalie dragged her weary body into the bathroom as soon as she returned home. After washing up, she stepped into her bedroom, only to be shoved against the hallway wall before she could fully enter. Large, strong hands pinned her in place. Before she could react, a flurry of hot, insistent kisses rained down on her damp neck, leaving a trail of flushed marks. Rosalie barely held back a scream. Biting her tongue, she stifled the sound and twisted desperately to escape his grip. But the more she resisted, the fiercer Luke's kisses became. He even held her chin firmly. She struggled desperately. Her fear grew deeper with every step heard coming up the stairs. "You're insane!" she hissed. Upon hearing those words, Luke let out a sneer. His eyes were red as he leaned in close to her ear. "Yeah, I'm insane. So, why don't you scream? Go ahead. Let everyone come running and see for themselves what kind of brother kisses his sister like this." The footsteps paused, then retreated back downstairs. Only then did Rosalie's pounding heart begin to settle. Summoning all her strength, she shoved his arm away and ducked under it. Her voice trembled with fear as she spoke, "What the hell is wrong with you?" Luke's gaze followed her every move. His eyes were still clouded with anger. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? Who told you to call Joslyn your sister-in-law?" Rosalie froze. She couldn't understand why he cared so much. Wasn't this all part of his plan for revenge? "Why not? You're my brother, and you're getting married, aren't you? You even kissed her right in front of me!" she retorted. "Rosalie! How many times do I have to tell you? That kiss was just for show! I only kissed Joslyn because I saw Dad and Mom watching!" His words came fast and angry, as if he was genuinely angry. Rosalie couldn't tell if his frustration was real or just another act. But she convinced herself that he was just putting on an act for her, so she played along, nodding in agreement. "Well, you're certainly a great actor." So, how far was he planning to take this charade? She was already broken, just as he seemed to want. Wasn't that enough? The thoughts stayed locked in her mind, unspoken. Her tears, however, slipped free despite her best efforts to hold them back. She was exhausted. She didn't have the strength to keep playing this game. Couldn't he just let her go?