Chapter 9

The staff brought over a brand new urn. Rosalie carefully placed the last few specks of Morgan's ashes into it. Then, standing before the grave, she hung his head in commemoration. "Sorry, Dad. I'm not a good daughter. I loved the wrong person. "Sorry, Dad. I'm too weak. I couldn't protect you. "Sorry, Dad. I'm leaving now. I won't be able to visit you for the next few years." With that, she raised her head and saw a flock of mournful crows flying across the sky. A drop of tears slid from the corner of her eye. At dusk, Rosalie left the cemetery and returned home alone. She brought down all the things she had sorted out a few days ago. The diary filled with Luke's name, documenting her secret crush, was thrown into the fire. The couple's items she had secretly bought for them were tossed into the trash. The couple photos she had taken with Luke in secret were torn into pieces, one by one. After dealing with these things, Rosalie returned to her room. As the door closed behind her, she heard the sound of the front door opening. She locked her door, turned off the lights, and curled up in bed in the dark. Not long after, there came a knock on her door. "Open the door, Rosie. Let me explain." It was Luke's voice. She didn't respond, but tears couldn't help but fall. Explain? What could he explain? Explain that he didn't use her as a tool for revenge? Or that he didn't choose to stand by her when Joslyn smashed Morgan's ashes? Soon, the knocking stopped, but her phone kept buzzing with Luke's messages. Rosalie looked at his constant stream of explanations, then opened his profile page and directly blocked his contact number. The whole night, she didn't respond to any sound from outside. … It wasn't until the next morning when Rosalie heard Marion's voice that she finally opened the door and ran into her embrace. Marion didn't understand what had happened, but she gently patted Rosalie's back, quietly soothing her as she did when Rosalie was little. Luke, who hadn't slept all night, watched this scene in silence for a long time before turning and walking downstairs. For the next few days, Rosalie didn't want to be bothered by Luke, so she stayed in Marion's room. The mother and daughter spent their days packing. At night, they slept in each other's arms and shared many little secrets. Rosalie felt a sense of peace she hadn't felt in a long time in Marion's embrace. On the night before she left, she still wanted to sleep beside Marion. But Marion, worried that Rosalie might not sleep well with so much to say, urged her to rest properly. Reluctantly, Rosalie returned to her room and stared blankly at the dark ceiling. At midnight, the sound of a door unlocking broke the silence. It was Luke, sneaking in with a spare key. He pulled her into his arms. "Are you still mad at me? I'm sorry. Please don't be angry anymore. You've been mad at me for three days now. If we keep this up, I might go crazy." Rosalie didn't speak. She just closed her eyes. When Luke heard her soft breathing, a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes. He knew she had been suffering, so he didn't want to push her any further. He just kissed her forehead gently. Listening to the heartbeat so close, Rosalie lay awake all night. The next morning, Luke's phone suddenly rang. Rosalie picked it up and saw Joslyn's name flashing on the screen. She reached over and shook him awake, handing him the phone. Still groggy, Luke squinted his eyes and answered the call. After just a few words from the other end, his grip on her waist loosened, and he sat up abruptly. Hanging up, he turned to Rosalie and softly said, "Rosie, I—" "Don't turn on the light. Just go." In the dark, Rosalie's voice was barely audible, void of emotion. Luke thought she had calmed down, so he hummed in acknowledgement and headed out. Before opening the door, he suddenly felt a sudden pang of unease. He turned around and looked at the figure huddled on the bed. "I'll be back soon, Rosie. Wait for me. I'll keep you company when I come back." Rosalie didn't really need his company, and she wouldn't be waiting for his return. They were over. When she heard the car start outside the villa, she watched as Luke drove away. Only then did she turn on the light. She got out of bed, changed clothes, and washed up as usual. After she got ready, Marion knocked on her door, calling her for breakfast. When Rosalie was done with breakfast, she saw Karl directing the household staff to take her suitcases downstairs. As the last suitcase was being moved, she suddenly remembered something. She went back to her now-empty room, pulled out the drawer, and took out the bank card and the breakup letter. She placed both of them in Luke's room, in a spot where he would see them immediately when he returned. "I'm the one letting you go this time, Luke." After doing all of that, Marion's soft voice called from downstairs, "Hurry up, Rosie, or you'll miss the flight!" She responded and quickly went downstairs. The car outside was waiting. After saying her goodbyes to Marion and Karl, Rosalie got into the car heading for the airport. As she got in, Marion's voice, thick with emotion, sounded from behind, "Take good care of yourself, Rosie. I've put the phone number of my friend's son in your pocket. Just call him if you need anything. Chase your dreams. Don't worry about things at home." Rosalie rolled down the car window. With reddened eyes, she responded to each of Marion's words until the figures behind her were no longer visible. Only then did she look out the window. The sun was shining brightly that day, making her feel like her future seemed full of possibilities.